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LIFE    IN    A    COLONY. 


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,:;t..oV:, -,.^ 


BT 


JUDGE   HALIBURTON, 

AOTBOK  or 

"•AM    SUCK,    THC    CLOCK-MAKER,"    "THE    ATTACHK,"    *o. 


■  t,.o.-i''«& 


-^   ,    Y..^ 


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Habaoqae  Mneetntl  magiMiD  gntlam,  ijui  mlhl  MmoDli  »fldlUt«ai  anxil,  potionla  «t  elbl  lutaUt. 

OioiKO  !>■  Bunonn. 


COMPLETE   IN   ONE   VOLUME. 


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*#" 


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NEW  YOEK: 
DICK    AND    FITZGERALD,    PUBLISHERS, 

i  No.   18   ANN    STREET.         y 


i,<te.-^«""' 


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CONTENTS 


«■. 


MM 

Th«OKk  »>«Jf^  .....  -    -      6 

How  many  Fuw  Viw  «  t.\A       it    #orty 

Yean  Ago,  -.---.-  -    10 

Asking  a  Oovernoi  to  Dinj, 22 

TheToi  bstones,    -..-•-•-.41 

A  Ball  at  Oovemnhoit  House, 49 

The  Old  Admiral  and  thd  Old  Gtineral,    .    -    64 

The  Plrat  Settlers, 77 

Merry-makings, 81 

Thn  Schoolmaster ;  or,  the  Hecke  Thaler,  -  90 
The  Lone  House,  -....----99 
The  Keeping  Room  of  an  Inn ;  or,  Judge 

Beler'tt  Ghost.    No.  I  , 109 


.";,  '- 


V 


Stareot/ped  by  C.  I>aviiun  *  Oo., 
»a«Id8t.,N.  T. 


.  \ 


UM 


The  Keeping-room  of  an  Inn ;  or.  Saelnc  the 

Devil.    No.  H.,    -    -    -  -  124 

The  Keeping-room  of  an  Inn ;  or,  a  liOng 

Night  and  a  Long  Story.  No.  III.,  -    •  137 
The  Keeping-room  of  an  Inn;  or,  the  Cush- 
ion Dance.    No.  IV., 146 

The  Keeping-room  of  an  Inn ;  or,  a  Chase 

fiw  a  Wife.    No.  v., IBS 

A  Pippin ;  or,  Sheepskins  and  Ghirters,  >  -  173 
Horse-shoe  Cove ;  or,  Hufeisen  Bucht  ■  •  18( 
The  Seasons ;  or,  Comers  and  Ooers,    •    -  206 

The  Witch  of  Inky  Dell, 21S 

Colonial  Gcvenunenl. 231 


The  f bU( 

Colony"  w 
renidence  o 
pie,  whoue 
dition,  the} 
have  adopt 
character  o 
pose  ofavo 
by  the  omie 
egotism  of 
Bpeak  for  t 
The  utmos 
olude  any  t 
bility  be  su 
rence,  or  I 
The  «  dran 
therefore,  i 
several  clat 
istics  and  p 
no    actual 
found  to  rei 
can  aseure 
and  not  intc 
considered, 
result  of  ar 
tures  of  a 
such  a  Btroi 
In  my  pr 
tunate  enou 
this  score,  ( 
to  render  th 
»ble  as  its  ] 
es  I  have  a 
vincial  and 
cant  to  int 
the  policy  o 


ar.  SaainffthB 

•  124 
;  or,  a  LiODg 

No.  III.,  -    -  137 
or,  the  Cash- 
146 

;  or,  a  Chase 

158 

Charters,  -    -  173 

inBucht    ■    •  186 

I  aoers,    •    -  206 

21i 

.23! 


J.Ji. 


.  /#  ^•p   0 


>  . 


t  ,    • 


.'• 


*  •   '  r 


■Xii, 


PREFACE. 


The  following  iketcheg  of  "  Life  in  a 
Colony"  were  drawn  from  nature,  aAer  a 
residence  of  half  a  century  among  the  peo- 
ple, whose  habitfl,  manners,  and  boo  ial  con- 
dition, they  are  intended  to  delineate.  I 
have  adopted  the  form  of  a  tour,  and  the 
character  of  a  stranger,  for  the  double  pur- 
pose of  avoiding  the  prolixity  of  a  journal, 
by  the  omission  of  tedious  details,  and  the 
egotism  of  an  author,  by  making  others 
speak  for  themselves  in  their  own  way. 
The  utmost  care  has  been  taken  to  ex- 
clude any  thing  that  could  by  any  possi- 
bility be  supposed  to  have  a  personal  refe- 
rence, or  be  the  subject  of  annoyance. 
The  "  dramatis  personse"  of  this  work  are, 
therefore,  ideal  representatives  of  their 
several  classes,  having  all  the  character- 
istics and  peculiarities  of  their  own  set,  but 
no  actual  existence.  Should  they  be 
found  to  resemble  p9,rticular  individuals,  I 
can  assure  the  reader  that  it  is  accidental, 
and  not  intentional;  and  I  trust  it  will  be 
considered,  as  it  retU/y  is,  the  unavoidable 
result  of  an  attempt  to  delineate  the  fea- 
tures of  a  poopte  omong  whom  thero  is 
such  a  strong  family  likeness. 

In  my  previous  works,  I  have  been  for- 
tunate enough  to  have  avoided  censure  on 
this  score,  and  I  have  been  most  anxious 
to  render  the  present  book  as  unobjection- 
able as  its  predecessors.  Political  sketch- 
es I  have  abstained  from  altogether;  pro- 
vincial and  local  affairs  are  too  insignifi- 
cant to  interest  the  general  reader,  and 
the  policy  of  the  Colonial  Office  is  foreign 


to  my  subject.  The  absurd  importance 
attached  in  this  country  to  trifles,  the 
grandiloquent  language  of  rural  politicians, 
the  flimsy  veil  of  patriotism,  under  wlu'ch 
selfishness  strives  to  hide  the  deformity  of 
'its  visage,  and  the  attempt  to  adopt  the 
machinery  of  a  large  empire  to  the  gov- 
ernment of  a  small  colony,  present  many 
objects  for  ridicule  or  satire;  but  they 
could  not  be  approached  without  the 
pioion  of  personality,  And  the  direct  impu- 
tation of  prejudice.  As  I  consider,  howev- 
er, that  the  work  would  be  incomplete 
without  giving  some  idea  of  the  form  of 
government  under  which  the  inhabitants 
of  the  lower  colonies  live,  I  have  prepared 
a  very  brief  outline  of  it,  without  any  com- 
ment. Those  persons  who  take  no  inter- 
est in  such  matters,  can  pass  it  over,  and 
leave  it  for  others  who  may  prefer  infor- 
mation to  amusement 

I  have  also  avoided,  as  far  as  practica- 
ble, topics  common  to  other  countries,  and 
endeavored  to  select  scenes  and  characters 
peculiar  to  the  colony,  and  not  to  be  found 
in  books.  Some  similarity  there  must 
necessarily  be  between  ail  oranches  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  family,  speaking  the  same 
language,  and  living  under  modifications 
of  the  same  form  of  government ;  but  still, 
thero  are  shades  of  difierence  which, 
though  not  strongly  remarked,  are  plainly 
discernible  to  a  practised  eye. 

Facies  non  omnibus  una  nee  tamcn  dlvena. 

This  distinctive  character  is  produced  by 
the  necessities  and  condition  of  a  new 


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country,  oy  the  nature  of  the  climate,  the 
want  of  an  Establiahed  Church,  hereditary 
ranlc,  entailment  of  eatatei,  and  the  aubdi  • 
vision  of  labor,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the 
absence  of  nationality,  independence,  and 
Republican  institutions,  on  the  other. 

Colonists  differ  again  in  lilce  manner 
ilrom  each  other,  according  to  the  eituation 
of  their  respective  country }  some  being 
merely  agricultural,  others  commercial, 
and  many  partaking  of  the  character  of 
both.  A  picture  of  any  dne  North  Amer- 
ican Province,  therefore,  will  not,  in  all  re- 
■pects,  be  a  true  representation  of  another. 
The  Nova  Scotian,  who  is  more  particu- 
larly the  subject  of  this  work,  is  often  found 
superintending  the  cultivation  of  a  ftirm, 
and  building  a  vessel  at  the  same  time } 
and  is  not  only  able  to  catch  and  cure  a  ^ 
cargo  offish,  but  to  find  his  way  with  it  to 
the  West  Indies  or  the  Mediterranean ;  he 
is  a  man  of  all  work,  but  expert  in  none — 
knows  a  little  of  many  things,  but  nothing 
well.  He  is  irregulCir  in  his  pursuits,  "  all 
tilings  by  turns,  and  nothing  long,"  antl 
vain  of  his  ability  or  information,  but  is  a 
hardy,  fhtnk,  good-natured,  hospitable, 
manly  fellow,  and  withal  quite  as  good- 
looking  as  his  air  gives  you  to  understand 
he  thmks  himself  to  be.  Such  is  the  gen- 
tleman known  throughout  America  as  Mr. 
I  Blue  Nose,  a  sobriquet  acquired  A'om  a 
;  \  superior  potato  of  that  name,  of  the  good 
ij.  j  qualities  of  which  he  is  never  tired  of  talk- 
"^  ing,  being  anxious,  like  most  men  of  small 
j  property,  to  exhibit  to  the  best  advantage 
( the  little  he  had. 

Although  this  term  is  applicable  to  all 
natives,  it  is  more  particularly  so  to  that 
portMMi  ot'  the  population  descended  ftvm 

s-vi.^-inil...^.    ■•      ■'  -  ■:..:   k*.     ,    Mr-  . 

'(ISUJIMJ  9;.-  ^.:'.^^«f!',-i  Vt^   ■  rut,  *:•     ».    •  ■ 
&.'i'*  '.ii  '.  -xjii-^i   ■*»*  yii^  _  '.  > «        ■    ,       .1' 


emigrants  from  the  New  England  States 
either  previously  to,  or  immediately  after, 
the  American  Revolution.  The  accent  of 
the  Blue  Nose  is  provincial,  inclining  more 
to  Yankee  than  to  English,  his  utterance 
rapid,  and  his  conversation  liberally  gar- 
nished with  American  phraseology,  and 
much  enlivened  with  dry  humor.  From 
the  diversity  of  trades  of  which  he  knows 
something,  and  the  variety  of  occupations 
in  which  he  has  been  at  one  time  or  ano- 
ther engaged,  he  uses  indiscriminately  the 
technical  terms  of  all,  in  a  manner  that 
would  often  puzzle  a  stranger  to  pronounce 
whether  he  was  a  landsman  or  sailor,  a 
(hrmer,  mechanic,  lumberer,  or  fisherman. 
These  obaracteristics  are  more  or  less 
common  to  the  people  of  New  Brunswick, 
Prince  Edward  Island,  and  Cape  Breton, 
and  the  scene  of  these  sketches  might  per- 
haps to  a  very  great  extent  be  laid,  with 
equal  propriety,  in  those  places  as  in  Nova 
Bcotia.  But  to  Upper  and  Lower  Canada 
they  are  not  so  applicable. 

The  town  of  Ulinoo,  so  often  mentioned 
in  this  work,  is  a  fictitious  place.  I  have 
selected  it  in  preference  to  a  real  one,  to 
prevent  the  possible  application  of  my  re- 
marks to  any  of  the  inhabitants,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  earnest  desire  I  have  al- 
ready expressed  to  avoid  giving  ofience  to 
any  one.  Some  of  these  sketches  have  al-  . 
ready  appeared  in  "Fraser's  Magazine"!^  I 
for  the  year  1847.  These  have  been  re- 
vised, and  their  order  somewhat  transpos- 
ed, so  as  to  make  them  blend  harmonious- 
ly with  the  additional,  numbers  contained 
in  these  volumes.  Having  made  these 
cxplnnatioQs,  I  now  submit  the  work  to 
the  public.  \ 


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•:8,  ■  '.t^iifii^'-t  ,a. 


THE  OLD  JUDGE; 


;..,'U.,:j,..-)  (U.  ;;■■■• 


1      I 


OR, 


LIFE   IN   A   COLONY.   •      - 

.??,  .        )i       ':..=>v: 


:«  <i«^^i!<m?'i'    .  'I  THE  OLD  JUDGE. 


A  rsw  days  a%v.  two  strsngen  were 
I  ihown  into  my  stua* :  one  ot  them,  step- 
ping aside,  pointed  to  his  companion, 
and  said,  "  This,  sit,  is  the  Beyerend 
Gabriel  Gab  of  Olympus."    The  othef 
performed  the  same  kind  office  for  his 
I  nriend,  saying,  "  And  this,  sir,  is  the 
Reverend  Elijah  Warner,  of  the  Miller- 
|ite  persuasion,  from  Palmyra,  United 
States  of  America. " 

The  former,  whose  name  was  by  no 
means  inappropriate,  explained,  with 
freat  volubility,  the  object  of  their  visit, 
which  he  said  was  twofold :  first,  to  pay 
ibeir  respects  to  me ;  secondly,  to  make 
some  inquiries  about  the  great  bore  in 
the  river  in  my  neighborhood. 

Had  there  been  a  mirror  in  the  room, 
I  should  have  been  tempted  to  have 
pointed  to  it,  as  they  would  have  there 
seen  two  much  greater  bores  in  their 
own  persons ;  for,  if  there  is  any  one 
subject  more  than-  another,  of  which  I 
am  heartily  tired,  it  is  the  extraordinary 
tide  of  this  remarkable  river.  It  at- 
tracts many  idlers  to  the  village,  who 
pester  every  one  they  meet  with  ques- 
tions and  theories,  and  seldom  talk  of 
any  thing  else.  If,  however,  the  visit 
of  these  gentlemen  wearied  me,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  threadbare  subject  of 
6ur  discourse,  it  amused  me  not  a  little 
by  the  whimsical  manner  of  its  intro- 


duction ;  it  not  only  had  novelty  to  re- 
commend it,  but  its  brevity  enabled 
them  to  enter  tn  medias  res  at  once. 
I  shall  therefore  imitate  their  example, 
by  introducing  myself  and  explaining 
my  business. 

I  am,  gentle  reader,  a  traveller,  and 
my  object  also  is  twofold :  first,  to  pay 
my  respects  to  you,  and,  secondly,  to 
impart,  rather  than  solicit,  information. 
When  I  left  England,  my  original  des- 
tination was  New  York  and  the  far 
West,  after  which  I  purposed  making  a 
rapid  tour  over  our  North  American 
Oolonies.  In  pursuance  of  this  plan,  I 
took  passage  on  board  of  one  of  the 
British  mail-eteamers  for  America. 

It  is  well  known  that  these  ships 
touch  at  Hali&x  on  their  way  lo  and 
from  New  York  and  Boston ;  this  ap- 
,parently  circuitous  route  being  actually 
thirty-six  miles  shorter  than  the  direct 
course.*  In  twelve  days  after  leaving 
England  I  found  myself  in  Halifax. 

Of  my  voyage  out  I  shall  say  nothing. 
He  must  be  a  bold  man  indeed  who 
would  attempt  to  describe  the  incidents 
of  a  common  passage  across  the  Atlan- 
tic, with  any  hope  whatever  of  finding  a 


•  See  the  second  series  of  The  Clockmaker 
chapter  xxii.,  in  which  this  route  was  first  sug 
gested,  and  the  actual  distance  given. 


1%! 


'Mi, 

Is 


« 


THE  OLD  JUDOE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY.      * 


,'  I 


reader.  It  waa,  like  all  similar  trips, 
though  as  comfortable  as  snoh  an  affair 
ean  he,  any  thine  hut  agreoahle,  and, 
thoueh  short,  tedious  to  a  landsman. 
Off  tne  Port  of  Halifax  we  encountered 
a  thick  fog,  and  were  obliged  to  slacken 
our  speed  and  use  the  lead  constantly, 
when  we  suddenly  emerged  from  it  into 
bright  clear  dazsling  sunshine.  Before 
us  lay  the  harbor,  as  calm,  as  white,  and 
as  glittering,  as  if  covered  with  fflass ; 
a  comparison  that  suggested  itself  by 
the  beautiful  reflections  it  presented  of 
the  various  objects  on  shore ;  while  be- 
hind us  was  the  dense  black  mass  of 
fog,  reaching  from  the .  water  to  the 
heavens,,  like  a  wall  or  cloud  of  dark- 
ness. It  seemed  as  if  Day  and  Night 
were  reposing  together  side  by  side. 

The  first  object  that  met  our  view 
was  the  picturesque  little  church  that 
erowns  the  cliff  overlooking  the  village 
and  haven  of  Falkland,  and,  like  a  stella 
maris,  guides  the  poor  fisherman  from 
afar  to  bis  home,  and  recalls  his  wander- 
ing thoughts  to  that  other  and  happier 
ono  that  awaits  him  when  the  storms 
and  tempests  of  this  life  shall  have 
passed  away  for  ever.  The  entrance  to 
this  noble  harbor,  the  best,  perhaps,  in 
America,  is  exceedingly  beautiful ;  such 
portions  of  the  landscape  as  are  denud- 
ed of  trees  exhibit  a  very  high  state  of 
cultivation  ;  while  the  natural  sterility 
of  the  cold,  wet,  and  rocky  soil  of  the 
background  is  clothed  and  concealed  by 
verdant  evergreens  of  spruce,  fir,  pine, 
and  hemlock.  On  either  hand,  you  pass 
formidable  fortifications,  and  the  nation- 
al fiag  and  the  British  sentinel  bear 
testimony  to  the  power  and  extensive 
possessions  of  dear  old  England. 

On  the  right  is  the  rapidly  increasing 
town  of  Dartmouth ;  on  the  left,  Hali- 
fax, situated  in  extento  on  the  slope  of  a 
long  high  hill,  the  cone-like  summit  of 
which  is  converted  into  a  citadel.  The 
effect  from  the  water  is  very  imposing, 
eiving  the  idea  of  a  much  larger  and 
better  built  place  than  it  is — an  illusion 
productive  of  much  subsequent  disap- 
pointment. Still  furthtr  on,  and  form- 
ing the  northern  termination  of  the  city, 
is  the  Government  Dockyard,  of  which 


I  shall  speak  elsewhere.  Here  the  bar 
bor  contracts  to  a  very  narrow  space, 
and  then  suddenly  enlarges  again  into 
another  and  more  sheltered  body  of 
water,  eight  or  ten  miles  in  length,  and 
two  or  three  in  width,  called  Bedford 
Basin. 

On  a  nearer  approach  to  the  Quay, 
old  dingy  warehouses,  trumpery  wooden 
buildings,  of  unequal  size  and  dispro- 
portioned  forms,  and  unsubstantial 
wharfs,  in  bad  order  and  repair,  present 
an  unpromising  water-side  view,  while 
the  accent  of  the  laborers  and  truckmen 
who  are  nearly  all  Irishmen  form  a 
singular  combination  of  colonial  archi- 
tecture and  European  population.  The 
city  itself,  which  nas  been  greatly  im- 
proved of  late  years,  does  not,  on  a  fur- 
ther acquaintance,  altogether  remove 
the  disagreeable  impression.  Although 
it  boasts  of  many  very  handsome  public 
as  well  as  private  edifices,  it  is  well  hdd 
out  and  embellished  with  large  naval 
and  military  establishments ;  it  has  not 
the  neat  or  uniform  appearance  of  an 
American  town,  and  it.  is  some  time  be- 
fore the  eye  becomes  accustomed  to  the 
card-board  appearance  of  the  houses,  or 
the  singular  mixture  of  large  and  small 
ones  ,in  the  same  street.  The  general 
aspect  of  the  city  is  as  different  from 
that  of  any  other  provincial  town,  as  it 
is  from  a  place  of  the  same  size  either 
in  Old  or  New  England!  The  inhabit- 
ants, who  are  composed  of  English, 
Irish,  Scotch,  and  their  descendants, 
are,  estimated  at  twenty-two  or  twenty- 
five  thousand.  It  is  a  gay  and  hospita- 
ble place,  and,,  until  recently,  when 
agitation  and  political  strife  made  their 
Imneful  appearance,  was  a  united  and 
happy  community. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  describe 
localities — my  object  is  to  delineate 
Life  in  a  Oolony.  There  is  such  a  gen- 
eral uniformity  in  tbe  appearance  of  all 
the  country  towns  and  villages  of  these 
lower  provinces,  and  such  a  similarity 
in  the  character  of  the  scenery,  that  de- 
tails would  be  but  tedious  repetitions, 
and,  besides,  such  topographical  sketch- 
es are  to  be  found  in  every  book  of 
travels  on  this  continent.     I  have  said 


;-1  !(?>.?«?.•).• 


THE  OLD  JUDGE. 


)  not,  on  a  fur- 


tbns  mveh  of  H»lifaz,  beoAose  it  ia  not 
only  the  capitid  of  Nova  Scotia,  but, 
ft«m  its  proximity  to  Europe,  has  lately 
become  a  most  important  station  for 
English  and  American  Atlantic  steam- 
ers, as  it  always  has  been  for  the  British 
navy.  A  few  words  will  suffice  for 
Nova  Scotia.  The  surface  is  undulat- 
ing, seldom  or  never  exceeding  in  alti- 
tude five  hundred  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea.  It  is  greatly  intersected 
with  rivers  and  their  tributary  brooks, 
on  the  margins  of  which  are  continuous 
lines  of  settlements,  and  the  ooast  is 
every  where  indented  with  harbors 
more  or  less  capacious,  in  most  of  which 
are  either  towns  or  villages.  In  the 
backffround,  the  forest  is  every  where 
visible,  and  penetrated  in  all  directions 
with  roads.  Although  extensive  clear- 
ings are  made  yearly  in  the  interior, 
principally  by  the  children  of  old  set- 
tlers, in  which  backwood  life  is  to  be 
seen  in  all  its  simplicity,  yet  the  coun- 
try has  passed  the  period  of  youth,  and 
may  now  be  called  an  old  colony. 

Of  the  habits,  manners,  and  modes 
of  thought  of  the  people,  few  travellers 
have  had  such  an  opportunity  of  becom- 
ing acquainted  as  I  have.  At  the  sug- 
gestion of  Mr.  Barclay,  a  member  of 
the  provincial  bar,  with  whom  I  acci- 
dentally became  acquainted  on  my 
arrival  at  Halifax,  I  abandoned  for  a 
time  my  intention  of  proceeding  to  New 
York,  and  from  thence  to  the  South 
and  West,  and  remained  in  this  country 
for  a  period  sufficiently  lone  to  acquire 
that  knowledge  of  Anglo-American 
character  without  which  rapid  travel- 
ling on  this  continent  is  neither  conve- 
nient nor  instructive.  By  him  I  was 
conducted  to  lUinoo,  an  interior  town, 
about  fifty  miles  from  Halifitx,  and 
there  introduced  to  Mr.  Justice  Sand- 
ford,  a  retired  Judge  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Judicature.  By  the  consider- 
ate kindness  of  these  two  gentlemen,  I 
was  enabled  to  see  all  that  was  desirable 
to  be  seen,  and  to  understand  many 
little  points  in  the  character  of  the  peo- 
ple, which,  without  their  valuable  ex- 
planations, would  have  either  escaped 
mj  notice,  or  have  been  unintelligible. 


niinoo  is  situated  at  the  head  of  th* 
navigation  of  the  Inganish  river,  and  if 
a  neat,  thriring  town,  consisting  of 
about  a  hundred  and  fifty  wooden 
houses,  painted  white,  after  the  prevail- 
ing American  taste,  most  of  them  being 
decorated  with  green  Venetian  blinds, 
and  all  enclosed  l|y  board  fences  of  dif- 
ferent patterns.  The  glare  of  the  glosxy 
white  is  somewhat  relieved  by  the  foli- 
age of  the  gardens  that  every  where  sur- 
round the  houses,  and  supply  the  in- 
habitants with  fruit  and  vegetables. 
Such  is  lUinoo,  the  description  of  which 
will  answer  for  any  other  rural  rilln^^e, 
the  difference  in  general  being  one  of 
situation  rather  than  appearance,  and 
of  sise  more  than  beauty. 

Three  miles  further  up  the  river,  and 
above  the  infiuenoe  of  the  tide,  is  Elms- 
dale,  the  residence  of  Judge  Sandford. 
The  house  stands  on  a  rising  piece  of 
ground  in  the  centre  of  an  extensive 
island,  formed  by  two  branches  of  the 
river,  one  of  which  is  a  small  brook 
of  about  twenty  yards  in  width,  and  the 
other  the  main  stream.  The  island 
consists  principally  of  alluvial  soil,  but 
is  interspersea  here  and  there  with 
gently  swelling  knolls  of  loam,  covered 
with  oaks,  maples,  and  yellow  birches, 
while  the  meaaow  land  ia  decorated  with 
large  single  elms  of  immense  sise  and 
great  beauty.  The  margin  is  secured 
ag»inst  the  effects  of  the  current  by  the 
roots  of  the  sumach,  the  wild  flowering 
pear,  and  dwarf  rowan  tree,  and  the 
still  stronger  network  of  the  roots  of 
the  giant  elms  that  enclose  the  place  on 
all  sides.  On  the  south-west  and  east, 
this  valley  is  sheltered  from  the  wind 
by  a  mountainous  ridge,  through  a 
winding  and  almost  concealed  gorge  of 
which  the  river  precipitately  issues, 
previously  to  its  forming  the  bifurcation 
that  converts  Elmsdale  into  an  island. 

The  house,  which  was  built  by  the 
present  proprietor's  father,  an  Ameri- 
can Loyalist,  is  a  large  commodiouH  cot- 
tage of  one  story  in  height,  covering  a 
great  deal  of  ground,  and  constructed 
after  the  manner  of  the  German  settlers 
on  the  Hudson,  having  long  projecting 
eaves,  and  an  extensive,  elongated  range 


I) 


u 


1^/ 


'¥■'•4: 


8 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I  OR,  UFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


,f 


of  boildingB  protruding  from  the  back 
part,  devoted  to  the  use  of  domestiof 
and  farm  purposea,  and  which  ia  efeo* 
toally  concealed  from  view  by  an  almost 
impenetrable  hedge-row  of  spraoes. 
Two  noble,  primeval  elms,  at  either  side 
of  the  him-door,  rejoice  in  their  native 
a^,  and  with  their  lone,  umbrageooa, 
pendent  branches,  eqoallj  deny  admis- 
sion to  the  rain  and  sun.  The  interior 
of  the  house  corresponds,  to  a  great  ex- 
tent, with  its  outward  appearance. 
The  furniture  is  in  general  old,  solid, 
and  heavy,  like  that  used  in  our  former 
colonies  before  the  rebellion,  which  con- 
trasts oddly  with  an  occasional  article 
of  lighter  form,  and  later  and  more 
luhionable  manufacture.  They  are 
types  of  the  old  and  the  presenii  gene- 
ration ;  for,  alas,  it  is  to  be  feared  that 
what  has  been  gained  in  appearance  has 
been  lost  in  substance,  in  things  of  far 
more  value  and  importance.  It  is  a 
place  of  great  beauty  at  all  seasons  of 
the  year ;  but,  in  spring,  when  vegeta- 
tion first  clothes  the  mountains,  and  in 
autumn,  when  the  frost  tinges  it  with 
innumerable  hues  before  it  disrobes  it, 
it  is  pre-eminently  so.  The  forest,  to 
which  you  are  attracted  in  summer  bv 
its  grateful  shade,  is  rendered  still 
more  agreeable  and  cool,  by  the  numer- 
ous rapids  and  cascades  of  the  river ; 
and  even  winter,  dreary  as  it  is  every 
where  in  the  country,  is  here  stripped 
of  half  its  rigor,  by  the  barrier  the  mils 
present  to  the  stormy  winds. 

To  this  hospitable  and  charming 
mansion  I  was  so  fortunate  as  to  be  in- 
vited by  the  Judge,  at  the  suggestion, 
no  doubt,  of  his  nephew,  my  friend  Mr. 
Barclay.  ''  He  will  be  delighted  to  see 
you,"  he  said,  as  we  drove  thither  from 
the  village.  "  He  is  one  of  those  per- 
sons with  whom  you  will  feel  at  home 
and  at  ease  at  once.  Such  is  the  force 
of  professional  habit,  that  there  is  some- 
thing of  judicial  gravity  in  his  manner 
when  abroad,  or  among  those  he  does 
not  know,  but  there  is  not  the  least  of 
it  about  him  when  at  home,  or  among 
his  friends.  Although  &r  advanced  in 
years,  he  is  still  as  active  in  body  and 
mind,  as  quick  of  perception,  and  as 


fond  of  humor,  as  when  he  was  at  the 
bar.  He  rbounda  in  anecdote ;  ia  re* 
markably  well  informed  for  a  lawyer, 
for  their  librariea  neoeaaarily  contain 
more  heavy  learning  than  light  reading ; 
and  he  has  great  conversational  powers, 
In  religion  he  is  a  Ohurchman,  and  in 
politics  a  Conservative,  as  is  almost 
every  gentleman  in  these  colonies.  On 
the  first  subject  he  never  speaks  as  a 
topic  of  discussion,  and  on  the  latter 
very  rarely,  and  then  only  to  those  who, 
he  knows,  entertain  similar  opinions 
with  himself  He  will  press  yon  to 
make  his  house  your  home,  a«  far  as  is 
compatible  with  your  other  arrange- 
ments, and  I  hope  vou  will  not  fail  to 
do  so,  for  he  is  fond  of  having  his 
friends  about  him^  and  in  this  retired 

S»lace  considers  it  a  great  piece  of  good 
brtune  to  have  an  opportunitv  of  con- 
versing with  a  person  whose  ideas  are 
not  all  bounded  by  this  little  province. 
On  Uie  other  hand,  you  will  find  a  kind, 
frank,  but  plain  hospitality,  that  is  com- 
fortable without  being  oppressive ;  and, 
as  vour  object  is  information  about  co- 
lonial life,  I  know  of  no  man  in  this 
country  so  well  qualified  or  so  willing 
to  impart  it  as  he  is.  There  is  capital 
shooting  and  fishing  on  his  grounds; 
and,' when  you  feel  inclined  for  a  ride 
or  a  drive,  either  he  or  his  niece  (for  he 
is  an  old  bachelor)  will  be  bappy  to  ac- 
company you,  while  I  am  always  on 
hand,  and  at  ^our  service.  Don't  be 
afraid  of  my  fair  cousin,"  he  continued ; 
^  though  not  too  old  to  be  i^eeable, 
(for  my  uncle  is  an  instance  of  the  dif- 
ficulty of  deciding  when  that  period  of 
life  commences)  she  is  of  a  certain  age, 
when,  she  may  be  considered  no  longer 
dangerous." 

Leaving  the  highway,  we  crossed  the 
brook  that  separates  the  island  from 
the  main  land  over  a  rustic  arch,  so 
constructed  between  clumps  of  large 
French  willows  growing  on  the  banks 
as  to  have  the  effect  of  a  natural  'bridge. 
The  road  wound  round  the  base  of  a 
knoll,  through  a  forest  of  elms,  from 
which,  with  an  easy  sweep,  it  suddenly 
terminated  in  front  of  the  house.  From 
thence  we  proceeded  to  the   garden; 


THE  OLD  JUDOK. 


)  WM  at  tilt 
dote;  is  re* 
or  a  Iftwjer, 
ailj  oontoin 
ght  reftding ; 
ional  powers, 
iman,  and  in 
m  is  almost 
olonies.  On 
speaks  as  a 
m  the  latter 
to  those  who, 
Uar  opinions 
>ress  you  to 
>,  a«  far  as  is 
ler  arrange- 
1  not  fail  to 
r  haying  his 

I  this  retired 
piece  of  good 
anity  of  con- 
me  ideas  are 
btle  proyino^. 

II  find  a  kind 
,  that  is  com- 
ressiye;  and^ 
ion  about  co- 
man  in  this 
or  so  willing 
sre  is  capital 

is  grounds; 

led  for  a  ride 

niece  (for  he 

happy  to  ao- 

always  on 
Don't  be 

oontinaed ; 

Mreeable, 

of  the  dif- 

|at  period  of 

certain  age, 

d  no  longer 

crossed  the 
lisland  from 
arch,  so 
DS  of  large 
the  banks 
iral  'bridge, 
base  of  a 
elms,  from 
tt  suddenly 
(use.    From 
le   garden, 


where  we  understood  the  Judge  was 
superintending  some  improyements. 
This*  enclosure  coyers  about  two  acres 
of  land,  and  embraces  the  fruitery, 
shrubbery,  kitchen  and  flower  garden ; 
thus  oombiDioff  useful  with  ornamental 
oultiyation,  and  keeping  both  within  the 
limits  of  moderate  means.  In  summer, 
he  spends  most  of  his  time  here,  when 
the  weather  permits. 

As  soon  as  he  peroeiyed  us,  he  ad- 
vanced, and  cordially  welcomed  me  to 
Elmsdale,  which,  he  said,  he  hoped  I 
would  make  my  head-quarters  ana  con- 
sider my  home,  as  often  and  as  long  as 
I  could,  while  in  this  part  of  the  coun- 
try. 

Thouffh  thin,  his  frame  was  strong, 
and  weU  put  together,  and  therefore, 
though  short  in  stature,  he  oould  not  be 
called  a  small  man.  In  figure,  he  was 
ereet,  and  in  motion  aotiye,  while  his 
quick,  bright  eye,  notwithstanding  the 
snowy  whiteness  of  his  hair,  and  a  face 
in  which  the  traces  of  care  and  thought 
were  deeply  marked,  suggested  the  idea 
of  a  much  younger  person  than  he  really 
was — an  illusion  not  a  little  aided  by 
the  sprightliness  of  his  oonyersation, 
and  the  singular  smoothness  and  expan- 
sion of  the  upper  part  of  his  forehead. 

In  a  few  moments  we  were  joined  by 
Miss  Sandford,  who  entered  the  garden 
by  a  glass  door  from  the  library,  that 
epeuM  upon  the  yerandah  where  we 


were  standing,  and  admonished  her 
uncle  that,  as  eyery  body  was  not  quite 
as  interested  in  f^ardening  as  he  was,  it 
might  not  be  amiss  to  recollect  that  it 
was  the  hour  of  luncheon.  From  the 
age  as  well  as  the  affection  of  these 
relatiyea,  brother  would  have  seemed 
to  be  a  more  appropriate  term  for  her  to 
have  used  than  uncle ;  but  there  was, 
in  reality,  a  much  greater  disparity 
between  them  in  years,  activity,  and 
strength,  than  there  appeared  to  be 
at  first  sight  She  was  admirably 
well  qualified  to  preside  over  his  estab- 
lishment, and  be  his  companion;  for 
she  was  a  remarkably  well-informed  and 
agreeable  woman,  and,  what  oould 
scarcely  be  expected,  and  is  rarely  found 
in  a  new  country  like  this,  was  highly 
accomplished,  which  latter  advantage 
she  owed  to  a  long  residence  and  care- 
ful education  in  England. 

Such  was  the  place  where  I  resided, 
and  such  the  people  among  whom  I  was 
domesticated  so  often  and  so  long. 
Having,  like  Boswell,  kept  a  copious 
journal  of  the  conversations  I  had  with 
the  Judge,  I  shall  in  all  instances  let 
him  speak  for  himself,  as  his  power  of 
description  far  exceeds  mine.  When 
he  was  not  present,  I  shall  endeavor  to 
delineate  the  scenes  I  witnessed  myself, 
without  embellishment  on  the  one  hand, 
and,  as  far  as  praeticable,  without  pro- 
lixity on  the  otber. 


Ifi 


/ 


:i  .' 


"I'Ti     'I 


d"  s 


^*») 

4 


HOW  MANY  FINS  HAS  A  COD  ? 


OR,  FORTY  YEARS  AGO. 


?l!t 


II. 


I   I 


If 


i,l 


For  several  days  past,  nothing  else 
lias  been  talked  of  at  lUinoo  but  the 
approaching  term  of  the  Supreme  Court. 
At  all  times,  this  is  a  great  erent  for  a 
auiet  village,  where  there  is  but  little  to 
aiversify  the  monotony  of  life  ;  but  the 
arrival  of  the  Judge  and  the  <»rouit 
lawyers  is  now  looked  forward  to  with 
great  interest,  as  there  is  to  be  a  man 
tried  for  murder,  who,  in  all  probability, 
will  be  convicted  and  executed.  I 
have  much  curiosity  to  see  the  mode  of 
administering  justice  in  this  country, 
because  the  state  of  the  courts  is  a  very 
good  criterion  by  which  to  estimate  the 
stats  of  the  province.  The  Bench  and 
the  Bar  usually  furnish  fair  samples  of 
the  talent  and  education  of  the  gentry — 
the  grand  jury  of  the  class  immediately 
below  them,  and  the  petit-jury  of  the 
veomanry  and  tradesmen.  In  a  court- 
house, they  are  all  to  be  seen  in  juxta- 
position, and  a  stranger  is  enabled  to 
compare  them  one  with  tho  other,  with 
the  condition  of  the  people  and  similar 
institutions  in  different  countries. 

The  Judge  informs  me  that  the  first 
courts  established  in  this  province  were 
County  Courts,  the  Judges  of  which 
were  not  professional  men,  but  selected 
from  the  magistrates  of  the  district, 
who  rendered  their  services  gratuitously. 
The  efficiency  of  those  courts,  therefore, 
depended  wholly  upon  the  character 
and  attainments  of  the  Justices  of  the 
Peace  in  the  neighborhood.  In  some 
instances,  they  were  conducted  with 
much  decorum,  and  not  without  ability : 
in  others  they  presented  scenes  of  great 
confusion  and  disorder ;  but,  in  all  cases, 


they  were  the  centre  of  attraction  to  th« 
whole  county.  The  vicinity  of  the 
court-house  was  a  sort  of  fair,  where 
people  assembled  to  transact  business, 
or  to  amuse  themselves.  Horse-swap- 
ping or  racing,  wrestling  and  boxing, 
smoking  and  drinking,  sales  at  auction, 
and  games  of  various  kinds,  occupied 
the  noisy  and  not  very  sober  crowd. 
The  temperance  of  modern  times,  the 
substitution  of  professional  men  as 
judges,  and  an  entire  change  of  habits 
among  the  people,  have  no  less  altered 
the  character  of  the  scenes  within  than 
without  the  walls  of  these  halls  of  jus- 
tice. In  no  respect  is  the  improvement 
of  this  country  so  apparent  as  in  its 
judicial  establishments.  As  an  illus- 
tration of  the  condition  of  some  of  these 
County  Courts  in  the  olden  time,  the 
Judge  related  to  me  the  following  ex- 
traordinary story  that  occurred  to  him- 

Shortly  after  my  return  from  Europe, 
about  forty  years  ago.  I  attended  the 
Western  Circuit  of  the  Supreme  Court, 
which  then  terminated  at  Annapolis, 
and  remained  behind  a  few  days,  for  the 
purpose  of  examining  that  most  inter- 
esting place,  which  is  the  scene  of  the 
first  effective  settlement  in  North 
America. 

While  engaged  in  these  investigations, 
a  person  called  upon  me,  and  told  me 
lie  had  ridden  express  from  Pjymouth, 
to  obtain  my  assistance  in  a  cause  which 
was  to  be  tried  in  a  day  or  two  in  the 
county  court  at  that  place.  The  judges 
were  at  that  period,  aa  I  have  previously 
observed,   not    professional    men,   but 


sir," 


HOW  MANY  PINS  HAS  A  COD1  OR,PtmTr  YEARS  AGO. 


11 


DiagistrateB,  and  equally  unable  to  ad- 
minister law,  or  to  preserve  order  ;  and 
the  verdicts  generally  depended  more 
upon  the  declamatory  powers  of  the 
lawyers  than  the  merits  of  the  causes. 
The  distance  was  great — the  journey 
had  to  be  performed  on  horseback — the 
roads  were  bad,  the  accommodation 
worse.  I  had  a  great  repugnance  tv 
attend  these  courts  under  any  circum 
stances ;  and,  besides,  had  pre.ssing  en- 
gagements at  home.  I  therefore  de- 
clined accepting  his  retainer,  which  was 
the  largest  that  at  that  time  had  ever 
been  tendered  to  me,  and  begged  to  be 
excused.  If  the  fee,  he.  said,  was  too 
small  to  render  it  worth  my  while  to  go, 
he  would  cheerfully  double  it,  for  money 
was  no  object.     The  cause  was  one  of 

Srcat  importance  to  his  friend,  Mr. 
ohn  Barkins,  and  of  deep  interest  to 
the  whole  community ;  and,  as  the  few 
lawyers  that  resided  within  a  hundred 
miles  of  the  place  were  engaged  on  the 
other  side,  if  I  did  not  go,  his  unfortu- 
nate friend  would  fall  a  victim  to  the 
intrigues  and  injustice  of  his  opponents. 
In  short,  he  was  so  urgent,  that  at  last 
I  was  prevailed  upon  to  consent,  and  we 
set  off  together  to  prosecute  our  journey 
on  horseback.  The  agent,  Mr.  William 
Robins  (who  had  the  most  accurate  and 
capacious  memory  of  any  man  I  ever 
met),  proved  a  most  entertaining  abd 
agreeable  companion.  He  had  read  a 
great  deal,  and  retained  it  all ;  and, 
having  resided  many  years  near  Ply- 
mouth, knew  every  body,  every  place,  and 
every  tradition.  Withal,  he  was  some- 
what of  a  humorist.  Finding  him  a 
person  of  this  description,  my  curiosity 
was  excited  to  know  who  and  what  he 
was ;  and  I  put  the  question  to  him. 
"  I  am  of  the  same  profession  you  are, 


sir,"  he  said, 
up. 


1   immediately   reined 
I  replied,  " 


my 


"  If  that  be  the  case," 
good  friend,  you  must  try  the  cause 
yourself.  I  cannot  consent  to  go  on. 
The  only  thing  that  induced  me  to  set 
out  with  you  was  your  assertion  that 
every  lawyer,  within  a  hundred  miles  of 
Plymouth,  was  retained  on  the  other 
••ide." 


"  Excuse  me,  sir,"  he  said,  "  I  did 
not  say  I  was  a  lawyer." 

" No,"  I  observed,  "you  did  not;  but 
you  stated  that  you  were  of  the  same 
profession  as  myself,  which  is  the  same 
thine." 

"  Not  exactly,  sir,"  he  said.  '•  I  am 
a  wrecker.  I  am  Lloyd's  agent,  and 
live  on  the  misfortunes  of  others ;  so  do 
you.  When  a  vessel  is  wrecked,  it  is 
my  business  to  get  her  off,  or  to  save 
the  property.  When  a  man  is  entangled 
among  the  shoals  or  quicksands  of  the 
law,  your  duty  is  similar.  We  are  both 
wreckers,  and,  therefore,  members  of  the 
same  profession  The  only  difference 
is,  you  are  a  lawyer,  and  I  am  not." 

This  absurd  reply  removing  all  diflS- 
culty,  we  proceeded  on  our  journey ; 
and  the  first  night  after  passing  through 
Digby  reached  Shingle  Town,  or  Spaits- 
ville,  the  origin  of  which,  as  he  related 
it  to  mC;  was  the  most  whimsical  story 
I  ever  heard.  It  is  rather  long  for  an 
episode,  and  I  will  tell  it  to  you  some 
other  time.  The  next  morning  we 
reached  Clare,  a  township  wholly  owned 
and  occupied  by  French  Acadians,  the 
descendants  <^f  those  persons  who  first 
settled  at  Port  Royal  (as  I  have  just 
related),  and  other  parts  of  the  province 
into  which  they  had  penetrated,  pre- 
vious to  the  occupation  of  the  English. 
I  will  not  trouble  you  with  the  melan- 
choly history  of  the.se  people  at  present ; 
I  only  allude  to  them  now  on  account 
of  a  little  incident  in  our  journey.  As 
we  approached  the  chapel,  we  saw  a 
large  number  of  persons  in  front  of  the 
priest's  house,  having  either  terminated 
or  being  about  to  commence  a  proces- 
sion. As  soon  as  Robins  saw  them,  he 
.  said — 

"  Now,  I  will  make  every  man  of  that 
congregation  take  off  his  hat  to  me." 
"How?" 
''  You  shall  see." 

He  soon  pulled  up  opposite  to  a  large 
wooden  cross  that  stood  by  the  way-side, 
and,  taking  off  his  hat,  bowed  his  head 
most  reverently  and  respectfully  down 
to  the  horse's  neck,  and  then  slowly 
covering  ag.iin,  passed  on.  When  we 
reached  the  crowd,  every  hat  was  lifted 


«",    '     .! 


«1 

"I' 


lii; 


.9 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I   OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONT. 


ttr 


h 


i 


i.i  i 


1 1 


I 


in  deference  to  the  devout  stranger, 
who  had  thus  courteously  or  piously 
saluted  the  emblem  of  their  faith.  As 
soon  as  we  had  escaped  the  wondering 
gaze  of  the  people,  he  observed — 

'(  There,  lawyer,  there  is  a  useful  les- 
son in  life  for  you.  He  who  respects 
the  religious  feelings  of  others,  will  not 
fail  to  win  indulgence  for  his  own." 

In  the  afternoon  we  arrived  at  Ply- 
mouth. As  we  entered  the  village,  I 
observed  that  the  court-house  as  usual 
was  surrounded  by  a  noisy  multitude, 
some  detached  groups  of  which  appear- 
ed to  be  discussing  the  trials  of  the 
morning,  or  anticipating  that  which  was 
to  engross  the  attention  of  the  public 
on  the  succeeding  day.  On  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  road  was  a  large  tavern, 
the  hospitable  door  of  which  stood  in- 
vitingly open,  and  permitted  the  escape 
of  most  agreeable  and  seducing  odors  of 
rum  and  tofasoco.  The  crowd  occupied 
and  filled  the  space  between  the  two 
buildings,  and  presented  a  moving  and 
agitated  surface ;  and  yet  a  strong  cur- 
rent was  perceptible  to  a  practised  eye 
in  this  turbid  mass,  setting  steadily  out 
of  the  court-house,  and  passing  slowly 
but  constantly  through  the  centre  of 
tl^is  estuary  into  the  tavern,  and  return- 
ing again  in  an  eddy  on  either  side. 

Where  every  one  was  talking  at  the 
same  time,  no  individual  could  be  heard 
or  understood  at  a  distance,  but  the 
united  vociferations  of  the  assembled 
hundreds  blended  together,  and  formed 
the  deep-toned  but  dissonant  voice  of 
that  hydra-headed  monster,  the  crowd. 
On  a  nearer  approach,  the  sounds  that 
composed  this  unceasing  roar  became 
more  distinguishable.  The  drunken 
man  might  bo  heard  rebuking  the  pro- 
fane, and  the  profane  overwhelming  the 
hypocrite  with  opprobrium  for  his  cant. 
Neighbors  rendered  amiable  by  liquor, 
embraced  as  brothers,  and  loudly  pro- 
claimed their  unchangeable  friendship ; 
while  the  memory  of  past  injuries, 
awakened  into  fury  by  the  liquid  poison, 
placed  others  in  hostile  attitude,  who 
burled  defiance  and  abuse  at  each  other, 
to  the  full  extent  of  their  lungs  or  their 
vocabulary     The  slow,  measured,  nasal 


talk  of  the  degenerate  settler  from  Pu- 
ritanical New  England,  was  rendered 
unintelligible  by  the  ceaseless  and  rapid 
utterance  of  the  French  fisherhien; 
while  poor  Pat,  bludgeon  in  hand,  up- 
roariously solicited  his  neighbors  to 
fight  or  to  drink,  and  generously  gave 
them  their  option.  Even  the  dsgs 
caught  the  infection  of  the  place,  and 
far  above  their  master's  voices  might 
occasionally  be  heard  the  loud,  sharp 
cry  of  triumph,  or  the  more  shrill  howl 
of  distress  uttered  by  these  animals, 
who,  with  as  little  cause  as  their  sense- 
less owners,  had  engaged  in  a  stupid 
conflict. 

A  closer  inspection  revealed  the 
groupings  with  more  painful  distinct^ 
ness.  Here,  might  bo  seen  the  merry, 
active  Negro,  flapping  his  mimic  wings 
and  crowing  like  a  cook  in  token  of  de- 
fiance to  all  his  sable  brethren,  or  danc- 
ing to  the  sound  of  his  own  musical 
voice,  and  terminating  every  evolution 
with  a  scream  of  delight.  There,  your 
attention  was  arrested  by  a  ferocious- 
looking  savage,  who,  induced  by  the 
promise  of  liquor,  armed  with  a  scalping- 
knife  in  one  hand  and  a  tomahawk  in 
the  other,  exhibited  his  terrific  war- 
dance,  and  uttered  his  demoniac  yells, 
to  the  horror  of  him  who  personated  the 
victim,  and  suffered  all  the  pangsr  of 
martyrdom  in  trembling  apprehension 
that  that  which  had  begun  'uk  spore 
might  end  in  reality,  and  to  the  infinite 
delight  of  a  circle  of  boys,  whose  morals 
were  thus  improved  and  confirmed  by 
the  conversation  and  example  of  their 
fathers.  At  the  outer  edge  of  the 
throng  might  be  sen  a  woman,  endeav- 
oring to  persuade  or  to  force  her  inebri- 
ated husoand  to  leave  this  scene  of  sin 
and  shame,  and  return  to  his  neglected 
home,  his  family,  and  his  duties,  ^low, 
success  crowns  her  untiring  exertions, 
and  he  yields  to  her  tears  and  entreat- 
ies, and  gives  himself  up  to  her  gentie 
guidance ;  when  suddenly  the  ucmun 
within  him  i'ebels,  and  he  rudely  bursts 
from  her  feeble  but  affectionate  hold, 
and  returns  shouting  and  roaring  like  a 
maniac,  to  his  thoughtless  and  noisy 
associates.     The  enduring  love  of  tb« 


agonised 
again  to 
some  kin 
rows  anc 
of  his  p 
man  is  le 
a  happy  1 
tution    a 
ceased  fo 
the  spot,  I 
mand  issi 
same  tim< 
«  Clear 
for  the  gei 
We  hac 
the  afteri 
instantly  < 
for  us  l>y 
either  side 
through,  n 
into  a  slo^ 
air  of  trim 
in  bringin 
course.    B 
that  day. 
mission, 
and  would 
morning, 
fore,  he  th( 
with  a  glim 
familiarly  i 
others,  sali 
aloud,  and 
with  those  t 
occasionally 
say  in    an 
tone — 

"  Precioui 
it  all — says 
win  it  I  I  V 
the  plaintifi 
trifle !  He 
ind  so  forth, 
The  first 

I  endeavorei 
)eting. 

"For  hea 
;ood  friend, 
f  you  do,  yc 

II  times  a 
aise  such  ex 
7  break  dowi 
ilfiUing  the 
oubtfiu  issu 


I 


HOW  HANT  FINS  HAS  A  C0D1  OR,  FORTY  TEARS  AGO. 


IS 


i^   *>,  i 


jr  from  Pu- 
8  rendered 
s  and  rapid 
fisherftien ; 
1  hand,  up- 
nghbors  to 
irously  gave 
D  the  d9gs 
i  place,  and 
oioes  might 
loud,  sharp 
I  shrill  howl 
jse  animals, 
their  sense- 
in  a  stupid 

evealed    the 
tful  distinct-, 
Q  the  merry, 
mimic  wings 
token  of  de- 
iren,  or  danc- 
own  musical 
ery  evolution 
There,  your 
jT  a  ferooious- 
uoed  by  the 
th  a  soalping- 
tomahawk  iu 
terrific  war- 
moniao  yells, 
ersonated  the 
le  pang^of 
apprehension 
pin  ii^  sport 
0  the  infinite 
whose  morals 
sonfirmed  by 
iple  of  their 
idge  of    the 
man,  endeav- 
le  her  iuebn- 
scene  of  sin 
is  neglected 
uties.    ^low, 
ig  exertions, 
and  entreat- 
no  her  geutie 
the  ucmun 
udely  bursts 
lionate  hold, 
foaring  like  a 
and  noisy 
love  of  th» 


agoniied  woman  prompts  her  ag»in  and 
again  to  renew  the  effort,  until  at  last 
some  kind  friend,  touched  by  her  sor- 
rows and  her  trials,  lends  her  the  aid 
of  his  powerful  arm,  and  the  truant 
man  is  led  off  captive  to  what  was  once 
a  happy  home,  but  now  a  house  of  desti- 
tution and  distress.  These  noises 
ceased  for  a  moment  as  we  arrived  at 
the  spot,  and  were  superseded  by  a  com- 
mand issued  by  several  persons  at  the 
same  time. 

"  Clear  the  road  there  I     Make  way 
for  the  gentlemen  I" 

We  had  been  anxiously  expected  all 
the  afternoon,  and  the  command  was 
instantly  obeyed,  and  a  passage  opened 
for  us  ^j  the  people  idling  back  on 
either  side  of  the  street.  As  we  passed 
through,  my  friend  checked  his  horse 
into  a  slow  walk,  and  led  me  with  an 
air  of  triumph,  such  as  a  jockey  displays 
in  bringing  out  his  favorite  on  the 
course.  Bobins  was  an  important  man 
that  day.  He  had  succeeded  in  his 
mission.  He  had  got  his  champion, 
and  would  be  ready  for  fight  in  the 
morning.  It  was  but  reasonable,  there- 
fore, he  thought,  to  indulge  the  publio 
with  a  glimpse  at  his  m'vn.  He  nodded 
&miliarly  to  some,  winked  slily  to 
others,  saluted  people  at  a  distance 
aload,  and  shook  hands  patronizingly 
with  those  that  were  nearest.  He  would 
loccasionally  lag  behind  a  moment,  and 
Isay  in  an  under  but  very  audible 
Itone — 

"  Precious  clever  fellow,  that !     Sees 
|it  all — says  we  are  all  right — sure  to 
rin  it!     I  wouldn't  her  in  those  fellows 
Ithe  plaintiffs'    skins    to-morrow  for  a 
Itrifle !     He  is  a  powerful  man,  that  I" 
md  so  forth. 
The  first  opportunity  that  occurred, 
endeavored  to  put  a  stop  to  this  trum- 
peting. 

''For  heaven's  sake,"   I  said,  "my 
;ood  friend,  do  not  talk  such  nonsense ; 
you  do,  you  will  ruin  me !     I  am  at 
11  times  a  diffident  man,  but,  if  you 
use  such  expectations,  I  shall  assured- 
break  down,  from  the  very  fear  of  not 
ilfiUing  them.     I  know  too  well  the 
iottbtfiu  issue  of  trials  ever  to  say  that 


a  man  is  certain  of  winning.     Pray  do 
not  talk  of  me  in  this  mauner.'' 

"  You  are  sure,  sir,"  he  said.  "  What, 
a  man  who  has  just  landed  from  his 
travels  in  Enrope/and  arrived,  after  a 

i'ourney  of  one  hundred  miles,  from  tho 
ast  sitting  of  the  Supreme  Court,  not 
to  know  more  than  any  one  else ) 
Fudge,  sir!  I  congratulate  you,  you 
have  gained  the  cause !  And  besides, 
sir,  do  you  think  that  if  William  Rob- 
ins says  he  has  got  the  right  man  (and 
he  wouldn't  say  so  if  he  didn't  think 
so),  that  that  isn't  enough  ?  Why,  sir, 
your  leather  breeches  and  top-boots  are 
enough  to  do  the  business  I  Nobody 
ever  saw  such  things  here  before,  and  a 
man  in  buckskin  must  know  more  than 
a  man  in  homespun.  But  here  is  Mrs. 
Brown's  inn ;  let  us  dismount.  I  have 
procured  a  private  sitting-room  for  you, 
which  on  court-days,  militia  trainings, 
and  times  of  town  meetings  or  eleotions, 
is  not  very  easy,  I  assure  you.  Come, 
walk  in,  and  make  yourself  comfort- 
able." 

We  had  scarcely  entered  into  our 
snuggery,  which  was  evidently  the  land- 
lady's own  apartment,  when  the  door 
was  softly  opened  a  few  inches,  and  a 
beseeching  voice  was  heard,  saying — 

"  Billy,  is  that  him  T  If  it  is,  tell  him 
it's  me ;  will  you  ?  that's  a  good  soul !" 

"  Come  in — come  in,  old  Blowhard !" 
said  Robins ;  and,  seizing  the  stranger 
by  the  hand,  he  led  him  up,  and  intro- 
duced him  to  me. 

"  Lawyer,  this  is  Captain  John  Bark- 
ins  I  Captain  Barkins,  this  is  Lawyer 
Sandford !  He  is  our  client,  lawyer, 
and  I  must  say  one  thing  for  him :  he 
has  but  two  faults,  but  they  are  enough 
to  ruin  any  man  in  this  province  ;  he  is 
an  honest  man,  and  speaks  the  truth. 
I  will  leave  you  together  now,  and  go 
and  order  your  dinner  for  vou." 

John  Barkins  was  a  tall,  corpulent, 
amphibious-looking  man,  that  seemed 
as  if  he  would  be  equally  at  home  in 
either  element,  land  or  water.  He  held 
iu  his  band  what  he  called  a  nor'-wester, 
a  large,  broad-brimmed,  glazed  hat,  with 
a  peak  projecting  behind  to  shed  the 
water  from  off  his  club  queue,  which 


Ml 


;fi    1 


«<• 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY.  !!    «/ 


H 


WM  nearly  as  thick  as  a  hawser.  He 
wore  a  lodg,  narrow-tailed,  short-waisted 
blue  ooat,  with  large,  white-plaited  bat- 
tons,  that  resembled  Spanish  dollars,  a 
red  waistcoat,  a  spotted  Bandana  silk 
handkerchief  tied  loosely  about  his 
throat,  and  a  pair  of  volaminoos  cordu- 
roy trowsers,  of  the  color  of  brown  soap, 
3ver  which  were  drawn  a  pair  of  fisher- 
men's boots,  that  reached  nearly  to  his 
knees.  His  waistcoat  and  his  trowsers 
were  apparently  not  upon  very  intimate 
terms,  for,  though  they  travelled  to- 
gether, the  latter  were  taught  to  feci 
their  subjection,  but  when  they  lagged 
too  far  behind,  they  were  brought  to 
their  place  by  a  jerk  of  impatience  that 
threatened  their  very  existence.  He 
had  a  thick,  matted  bead  of  black  hair, 
and  a  pair  of  whiskers  that  disdained 
the  efieminaoy  of  either  scissors  or  ra- 
zor, and  revelled  in  all  the  exuberant 
and  wild  profusion  of  nature.  His 
countenance  was  much  weather-beaten 
from  constant  exposure  to  the  vicissi- 
tudes of  heat  and  cold,  but  was  open, 
good-natured,  and  manlj.  Such  was 
my  client.  He  advanced  and  shook  me 
cordially  by  the  hand. 

"  Glad  to  see  you,  sir,"  he  said ;  "  you 
are  welcome  to  Plymouth.  My  name  is 
John  Barkins;  I  dare  say  you  have 
often  heard  of  me,  for  every  body  knows 
me  about  these  parts.  Any  one  will 
tell  you  what  sort  of  a  man  John  Bark- 
ins  is.  That's  me — that's  my  name,  do 
you  see  ?  I  am  a  parsecuted  man,  law- 
yer; but  I  ain't  altogether  quite  run 
down  yet,  neither.  I  have  a  case  in 
court;  I  dare  say  Mr.  Robins  has  told 
you  of  it  He  is  a  very  clever  man  is 
old  Billy,  and  as  smart  a  chap  of  his 
ago  as  you  will  see  any  where  a'most. 
I  suppose  you  have  often  heard  of  him 
before,  for  every  body  knows  William 
Bobiua  in  these  parts.  It's  the  most 
important  case,  sir,  ever  tried  in  this 
county.  If  I  lose  it,  Plymouth  is  done. 
There's  an  end  to  the  fisheries,  and  a 
great  many  of  us  are  a  going  to  sell  ofif 
and  quit  the  country." 

I  will  not  detail  his  cause  to  you  in 
his  own  words,  because  it  will  fatigue 
yea  as  it  wearied  me  in  hearing  it.     It 


possessed  no  public  interest  whatever, 
though  it  was  of  some  importance  to 
himself  as  regarded  the  result.  .It  ap- 
peared that  he  had  fitted  out  a  large 
vessel  for  the  Labrador  fishery,  and 
taken  with  him  a  very  full  crew,  who 
were  to  share  in  the  profits  or  loss  of 
the  adventure.  The  agreement,  which 
was  a  verbal  one,  was,  that  on  the  com- 

Sletion  of  the  voyage  the  cargo  should 
e  sold,  and  the  net  proceeds  be  dis- 
tributed in  equal  portions,  one  half  to 
appertain  to  the  captain  and  yessel,  and 
the  other  half  to  the  crew,  and  to  be 
equally  divided  among  them.  The  un- 
dertaking was  a  disastrous  one,  and  on 
their  return  the  seamen  repudiated  the 
bargain,  and  sued  him  for  wages.  It 
was,  therefore,  a  very  simple  affair,  be- 
ing a  mere  questioa  of  fact  as  to  the 
partnership,  and  that  depending  wholly 
on  the  evidence.  Having  ascertained 
these  particulars,  and  inquired  into  the 
nature  of  the  proof  by  which  his  defence 
was  to  be  supported,  and  given  him  his 
instructions,  I  requested  him  to  call 
upon  me  again  in  the  morning  before 
Court,  and  bowed  to  him  in  a  manner 
too  significant  to  be  misunderstood. 
He,  however,  still  lingered  in  the  room, 
and,  turning  his  hat  round  and  round 
several  times,  examining  the  rim  very 
carefully,  as  if  at  a  loss  to  discover  the 
front  from  the  back  part  of  it,  he  looked 
up  at  last,  and  said — 

"Lawyer,  I  have  a  favor  to  ask  of 


you." 

"What  is  it?" 
«  There 


IS  a  man, 


inquired. 

'  he  replied,  "com| 
ing  agin  me  to-morrow  as  a  witness,  of 
the  name  of  Lillum.     He  thinks  him- 
self a  great  judge  of  the  fisheries,  and 
he  does  know  a  considerable  some,  I 

must  say ;  but,  d him !     I  caught 

fish  afore  he  was  born,  and  know  more 
about  fishing  than  all  the  Lillums  of 
Plymouth  put  together.  Will  you  just 
ask  him  one  question  ?" 
"Yes,  fifty,  if  you  like."  • 
"Well,  I  only  want  you  to  try  him 
with  one,  and  that  will  choke  him.  Ask 
him  if  he  knows  '  how  many  fins  a  oo( 
has,  at  a  word.' " 

"  What  has  that  got  to  do  with  th< 


use?"  1 1 

nt 

"Every 

'  ev«ry  thii 

lonud  to  giv 

ttsiness,  tl 

:nows  his 

Idon't  knov 

he  does, 
fins  it  has 
catch,  that, 
half-pints  ol 
a  feller  thai 
yet,  right  ol 

He  then 
cnumeratio 
omittied  by 
ly  made  a  r 

"  Now,  8 

Eher  out 
ogshead  oj 
right  out  of 
voyage  witl 
me,  my  nat 
will  lam  hi 
him  that  qu 
*  "Certaii 

"  You  wil 
continued,  i 
the  day,  th< 
lai^er !" 

When  he 
of  the  stall 
and,  openin 
said — 

"You  w 
name  is  J( 
about  here 
Iam,forev( 
in  these  pai 
is  Lillum— 
looking  mai 
every  thinf 
'  How  manj 
says  you. 
broad  of  hi 
don't  care  i 
It's  a  great 
kuowin'  one 
question  ?" 

"  Yes,  ye; 
know  all  ab 

«  You  do 
ting  the  do<i 


*/. 


ROW  MANY  FINS  HAS  A  COD  7  OR,  FORTY  YEARS  AGO. 


15 


rest  whatever, 
importance  to 
'osult.  ,It  ap- 
d  out  a  large 
■  fishery,  and 
iill  orew,  who 
its  or  loss  of 
eement,  which 
it  on  the  oom- 
I  cargo  should 
tceeds  be  dis- 
s,  one  half  to 
nd  vessel,  and 
ew,  and  to  be 
em.  The  un- 
s  one,  and  on 
'epudiated  the 
or  wages.  It 
iple  affair,  be- 
fact  as  to  the 
ending  wholly 
ig  ascertained 
uircd  into  the 
ich  his  defence 
given  him  his 
[  him  to  call 
lorning  before 
1  in  a  manner 
nisunderstood. 
d  in  the  room, 
nd  and  round 
the  rim  very 
;o  discover  the 
}f  it,  he  looked 

vror  to  ask  of  I 

ired. 

replied, "  com' 
s  a  witness,  of 
e  thinks  him- 
i  fisheries,  and 
irable  some, 
ml  I  caught 
nd  know  more 
be  Lillums  of 
Will  you  just 


ou  to  try  him 
loke  him.  Ask 
any  fins  a  ood 

to  do  with  thi 


uae  7"  I  said,  with  unfeigned  astonish- 

nt 

''Every  thing,  sir,"  he  answered  ; 
'  every  thing  in  the  world.  If  he  is  to 
ion.d  to  give  his  opinion  on  other  men's 
usiness,  the  best  way  is  to  see  if  he 
:nows  his  own.  Tarnation,  man  I  he 
Idon't  know  a  cod-fish  when  he  sees  it ; 

he  does,  he  can  tell  you  '  how  many 
Ifina  it  has,  at  a  word.'  It  is  a  great 
catch,  that.  I  have  won  a  great  many 
hiJf-pints  of  brandy  on  it.  I  never  knew 
a  feller  that  could  answer  that  question 
yet,  right  off  the  reel" 

He  then  explained  to  me  that,  in  the 
enumeration,  one  small  fin  wajs  always 
omittied  by  those  who  had  not  previous- 
ly made  a  minute  examination. 

"  Now,  sir,"  said  he,  "  if  he  can't  ci- 
pher out  that  question  (au'l  I'll  go  a 
hogshead  of  rum  on  it  he  can't),  turn  him 
right  out  of  the  box,  and  tell  him  to  go  a 
voyage  with  old  John  Barkins — that's 
me,  my  name  is  John  Barkins — and  he 
will  lam  him  his  trade.  Will  you  ask 
him  that  question,  lawyer  1" 
*  "  Certainly,"  I  said,  '•  if  you  wish  it." 

"■  You  will  gain  the  day,  then,  sir,"  he 
continued,  much  elated  ;  "  you  will  gain 
the  day,  then,  as  sure  as  fate.  Good-by, 
la\mr !" 

When  he  had  nearly  reached  the  foot 
of  the  staircase,  I  heard  him  returning, 
and,  opening  the  door,  he  looked  in  and 
said — 

"You  won't  forget,  will  you? — my 
name  is  John  Barkins  ;  ask  any  body 
about  here,  and  they  will  tell  you  who 
I  am,  for  every  body  knows  John  Barkins 
in  these  parts.  The  other  man's  name 
is  Lillum — a  very  decent,  'sponsible- 
looking  man,  too ;  but  he  don't  know 
every  thing.  Take  him  up  all  short. 
'  How  many  fins  has  a  cod,  at  a  word  V 
says  you.  If  you  can  lay  him  on  the 
broad  of  his  back  with  that  question,  I 
don't  care  a  farthing  if  I  lose  the  case. 
It's  a  great  satisfactittn  to  nonplush  a 
kuowin'  one  that  way.  You  know  the 
question  ?" 

"  Yes,  yes,"  I  replied,  impatiently.  "I 
know  all  about  it." 

"  You  do,  do  you,  sir  ?"  said  he,  shut- 
ting the  door  behind  him,  and  advancing 


towards  me,  and  looking  me  steadily  in 
the  face  ;  "yon  do,  do  you?  Theli, 
'  how  many  fins  has  a  cod,  at  a  word?'  " 

I  ansviered  as  he  had  instructed  ma. 

"  G«d,  sir,"  he  said,  "  it's  a  pity  your 
father  hadn't  made  a  fisherman  of  you, 
for  you  know  more  about  a  cod  now  than 
any  man  in  Plymouth  but  one,  old  John 
Barkins — that's  me,  my  name  is  John 
Barkins.  Every  body  knows  me  in  these 
parts.  Bait  your  hook  with  that  ques- 
tion,  and  you'll  catch  old  Lillum,  I 
know.  As  soon  as  he  has  it  in  his  gills, 
drag  him  right  out  of  the  water.  Give 
him  no  time  to  play — in  with  him,  and 
whap  him  on  the  deck;  hit  him  hard 
over  the  head — it  will  make  him  open 
his  mouth,  and  your  hook  is  ready  for 
another  catch." 

"  Good  night,  Mr.  Barkins,"  I  replied, 
"  call  on  me  in  the  morning.  I  am  £i 
tigued  now." 

"  Good  night,  sir,"  he  answered,  "  you 
won't  forget?" 

Dinner  was  now  announced,  and  my 
friend  Mr.  Robins  and  myself  sat  down 
to  it  with  an  excellent  appetite. 
Having  done  ample  justice  to  the  good 
cheer  of  Mrs.  Brown,  and  finished  our 
wine,  we  drew  up  to  the  fire,  which,  at 
that  season  of  the  year,  was  most  accept- 
able in  the  morning  and  evening,  and 
smoked  our  cigars.  Bobins  had  so 
many  good  stories,  and  told  them  so  un- 
commonly well,  that  it  was  late  before 
we  retired  to  rest  Instead  of  being 
shown  into  the  bed-room  I  had  tempo- 
rarily occupied  for  changing  my  dress 
before  dinner,  I  was  ushered  into  a  long, 
low  room,  fitted  up  on  either  side  with 
berths,  with  a  locker  running  round  the 
base,  and  in  all  respects,  except  the  sky- 
light, resembling  a  cabin.  Strange  as 
it  appeared,  it  was  in  keeping  with  the 
place  (a  fishing  port),  its  population, 
and  the  habits  of  the  people.  Mrs. 
Brown,  the  landlady,  was  the  widow  of 
a  sea-faring  man,  who  had,  no  doubt, 
fitted  up  the  chamber  in  this  manner 
with  a  view  to  economize  room,  and  thus, 
accommodate  as  many  passengers  (as  he 
would  designate  his  guests)  as  possible 
in  this  sailor's  home.  A  lamp  hung 
suspended  from  the  ceiling,  and  appear* 


•J 


\V  . 


i 

4 


m 


te 


THE  OLD  JUDOB;   OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


Mi 


•d  to  be  Bapplied  and  trimmed  for  the 
night,  80  as  to  afford  easy  aooess  and 
egress  at  all  hours.  It  was  almost  im- 
possible not  to  imagine  one's  self  at  sea, 
on  board  of  a  crowded  coasting-paoket. 
Betreat  was  impossible,  and  therefore  I 
made  up  my  mind  at  once  tosabmit  to 
this  wnimsioal  arrangement  for  the 
night,  and  haying  undressed  myself, 
was  about  to  climb  into  a  vacant  berth 
near  the  door,  when  some  one  opposite 
called  out — 

•*  Lawyer,  is  that  you  ?" 

It  was  my  old  tormentor,  the  skipper. 
Upon  ascertaining  who  it  was,  he  imme- 
diately got  out  of  bed,  and  crossed  oyer 
to  where  I  was  standing.  He  had  no- 
thing on  but  a  red  nightcap,  and  a 
short,  loose  check  shirt,  wide  open  at  the 
throat  and  breast.  He  looked  like  a 
huge  bear  walking  upon  his  hind-legs,  he 
was  so  hairy  and  shaggy.  Seizing  me 
by  the  shoulders,  he  clasped  me  tightly 
round  the  neck,  and  whispered — 

"  '  How  many  fins  has  a  cod,  at  a 
word  V  That's  the  question.  You 
won't  forget,  will  you  ?" 

"  No,"  I  said,  "  I  not  only  will  not  for- 
ge t  it  to-morrow,  but  I  shall  recollect 
you  and  your  adyice  as  long  as  I  live. 
Now  let  me  get  some  rest,  or  I  shall  be 
unable  to  plead  your  cause  for  you,  as  I 
am  excessively  fatigued  and  very  drow- 
sy." 

f     "  Certainly,  certainly,"  he  said ; "  turn 
in,  but  don't  forget  the  catch." 

It  was  some  time  before  the  hard  bed, 
the  fatigues  of  the  journey,  and  the  no- 
velty of  the  scene  permitted  me  to  com- 
pose myself  for  sleep  ;  and  just  as  I 
was  dropping  off  into  slumber,  I  heard 
the  same  unwelcome  sounds — 

"  Lawyer,  lawyer,  are  you  asleep  ?" 

I  affected  not  to  hear  him,  and,  after 
another  ineffectual  attempt  on  his  part 
to  rouse  me  he  desisted  ;  but  I  heard 
him  mutter  to  himself — 

"  Plague  take  the  ear  pent  I  he'll  for- 
get it  and  lose  all :  a  feller  that  falls 
^leep  at  the  helm,  ain't  fit  to  be  trusted 
no  how." 

I  was  not  doomed,  however,  to  obtain 
repose  upon  such  easy  terms.  The  skip- 
per's murmurs  had  scarcely  died  away, 


when  a  French  fisherman  from  St  I 
Mary's  Bay  entered  the  room,  and. I 
stumbling  over  my  saddlebags,  which  h« 
anathematiBed  in  bad  French,  bad  Eng. 
)ish,  and  in  a  language  compounded  of  I 
both,  and  embellished  with  a  few  wordi 
4>f  Indian  origin,  he  called  out  loudly— 
'    "  06lestine,  are  you  here  ?" 

This  interrogatory  was  responded  to  I 
by  another  from  the  upper  end  of  the 
room — 

«  Is  that  you,  Baptiste  ?    Which  way  I 
is  the  wind  ?" 

"  Nor'-nor'-west." 

"  Then  I  must  saU  for  Halifax  to- 1 
morrow."  ' 

While  Baptiste  was  undressing,  an 
operation  which  was  soon  performed  1 
(with  the  exception  of  the  time  lost  in 
pulling  off  an  obstinate  and  most  in> 
tractable  pair  of  boots),  the  following 
absurd  conversation  took  place.  Upon 
hearing  the  word  Halifao  (as  he  called 
it),  Baptiste  expressed  great  horror  of 
the  place,  and  especially  the  red  devils 
(the  soldiers)  with  which  it  was  infest- 
ed. He  said  the  last  time  he  was  there, 
as  he  was  passing  the  King's  Whiurf  to 
go  to  his  vessel  late  at  night,  the  senti- 
nel called  out  to  him,  "Who  come 
dare  t"  to  which  impertinent  question 
he  gave  no  answer.  The  red  villain,  he 
said,  repeated  the  challenge  louder  tnan 
before,  out,  as  he  knew  it  was  none  of 
his  business,  he  did  not  condescend  to 
reply.  The  soldier  then  demanded,  in 
a  voice  of  thunder,  for  the  third  time, 
"  Who  come  dare  ?"  *'  to  which,"  to  use 
his  own  words,  ^  I  answer  him,  '  What 
the  devil  is  that  to  you  V  and  ran  off  so 
fast  as  my  legs 
faster  too  :  but 


would  carry  me,  and 
the  villain  knew  the 


way  better  nor  me,  and  just  stuck  his 
'  bagonut'  right  into  my  thigh,  ever  so 
far  as  one  inch.  Oh  I''  said  Baptiste 
(who  had  become  excited  by  the  recol- 
lection  of  the  insult,  and  began  to  jump 
about  the  floor,  making  a  most  villanous 
clatter  with  the  half-drawn  boot),^**  Oht 
I  was  very  mad,  you  may  depend.  I 
could  have  murder  him,  I  was  so  vexed. 

Oh  I  I  was  so  d mad,  I  ran  straight 

off  to  the  vessel  without  stopping,  uxS— 
jumped  right  into  bed." 


i}' 


HOW  MANY  PINS  HAS  A  COD?  OR,  FORTY"  YEARS  AGO. 


17 


i<' 


Cilestine  expressed  great  indignation 

It  saoh  an  unprovoked  and  cowardly  as- 

aolt,  and  advised  him,  if  ever  he  caught 

that  soldier  again,  alone  and  unarmed, 

md  had  his  two  grown-up  sons,  Lewis 

and  Dominique  with  him,  to  give  him  a 

Bound  drubbing,  and  then  weigh  anchor, 

id  sail  right  out  of  the  haroor.     He 

Itongratulated  himself,  however,  that  if 

■the  soldier  had  run  the  point  of  his 

Ibayonet  into  his  friend,  he  had  lately 

avenged  it  by  making  a  merchant  there 

feel  the  point  of  a  joke,  that  was  equally 

sharp,  and  penetrated  deeper.     He  had 

j)urchased  goods,  ho  said  of  a  trader  tot 

[Halifax  upon  this  express  promise — 

''  If  you  will  trust  me  this  spring  I 

|will  pay  you  last  fall.     The  merchant," 

lie  observed,  "  thought  I  was  talking  bad 

Snglish,  but  it  is  very  good  English  ; 

mi  when  last  fall  comes  again,  I  will 

keep  my  word  and  pay  him,  but  not  till 

Ithen.    Don't  he  hope  he  may  get  his 

aoney  the  day  before  yesterday  ?" 

Baptiste   screamed  with  delight  at 
|this  joke,  which,  he   said,  he  would  tell 
uia  wife  Felicity,  and  his  two  daughters, 
ing^lique  and  Blondine,  as  soon  as  he 
k'etarned  home.     Having  succeeded  at 
last  in  escaping  from  his  tenacious  boot, 
lie  turned  in,  and,  as  soon  as  his  head 
Duched  the  pillow,  was  sound  asleep. 
In  the  morning  when  I  awoke,  the 
Srst  objects  that  met  my  eye  were  the 
kndana  handkerchief,  the  red  waist- 
boat  and   blue  coat,  while  a  good  na- 
rared  face  watched  over  me  with  all  the 
polioitude  of  a  parent  for  the  first  mo- 
aents  of  wakefulness. 

"  Lawyer,  are  you  awake  'i"  said 
3arkins.  "  This  is  the  great  day — the 
reatest  day  Plymouth  ever  saw !  We 
Shall  know  now  whether  we  are  to  carry 
pn  the  fisheries  or  give  them  up  to  the 
Tankees.  Every  thing  depends  upon 
kbat  question  ;  for  Heaven's  sake,  don't 
Forget  it  I — '  How  many  fins  has  a  cod, 
K  a  word  V  It's  very  late  now.  It  is 
eight  o'clock,  and  the  courts  meet  at  ten, 
|iud  the  town  is  full.  All  the  folks  from 
IJhebogue,  and  Jegoggin,  and  Salmon 
liver,  and  Beaver  Biver,  and  Eel 
Jrook,  and  Polly  Crossby's  Hole,  and 
^he  Gut  and  the  Devil's  Island,  and 
2 


Ragged  Island,  and  far  and  near,  are 
come.  It's  a  great  day  and  a  great 
catch.  I  never  lost  a  bet  on  it  yet. 
You  may  win  many  a  half-pint  of  bran 
dy  on  it,  if  you  won't  forget  it." 

"  Do  go  away  and  let  me  dress  my- 
self !"  I  said  petulantly.  "  I  won't  for- 
get you." 

"  Well,  I'll  go  below,"  he  replied,  "  if 
you  wish  it,  but  call  for  me  when  you 
want  me.  My  name  is  John  Barkins  ; 
ask  any  one  for  me,  for  every  man  knows 
John  Barkins  in  these  parts.     But,  dear 


me. 


he 


continued,  ''  I  forgot  I"  and, 
taking  an  enormous  key  out  of  his 
pocket,  he  opened  a  sea-chest,  from 
which  he  drew  a  large  glass  decanter, 
highly  gilt,  and  a  rummer  of  correspond- 
ing dimensions,  with  a  golden  edge. 
Taking  the  bottle  in  one  hand  and  the 
glass  in  the  other,  he  drew  the  small 
round  gilt  stopper  with  his  mouth,  and, 
pouring  out  about  half  a  pint  of  the  li- 
quid, he  said.  "  Here,  lawyer,  take  a  drop 
of  bitters  this  morning,  just  to  warm 
the  stomach  and  clear  your  throat.  It's 
excellent !  It  is  old  Jamaiky  and  sarsy- 
parilly,  and  will  do  your  heart  good. 
It's  an  antifogmatic,  and  will  make  you 
as  hungry  as  a  shark,  and  as  lively  as  % 
thrasher !" 

I  shook  my  head  in  silence  and  de- 
spair, for  I  saw  he  was  a  man  there  was 
no  escaping  from. 

"  You  won't,  eh  ?" 

"  No,  thank  you,  I  never  take  any 
thing  of  the  kind  in  the  morning." 

"  Where  the  deuce  was  you  brough ten 


up. 


he  asked,  with  distended  eyes, 
"  that  you  haven't  lost  the  taste  of  your 
mother's  milk  yet  ?  You  are  worse  than 
an  Isle  of  Sable  colt,  and  them  wild, 
ontamed  devils  suckle  for  two  years  ! 
Well,  if  you  won't,  I  will,  then  ;  so  here 
goes,"  and  holding  back  his  head,  the 
potion  vanished  in  an  instant,  and  he 
returned  the  bottle  and  the  glass  to 
their  respective  places.  As  he  went, 
slowly  and  sulkily,  down  stairs,  he  mut- 
tered, "  Hang  him !  he's  only  a  fresh- 
water fish  that,  after  all  ;  and  they  ain't 
even  fit  for  bait,  for  they  have  neith  tr 
substance  nor  flavor !" 
After  breakfast,  Mr.  Robins  conduct  ■ 


4i' 


f 


4i\ 


#  ■ 

It  < 

pi* 


<<i 


Vl' 


18 


THE  OLD  JUDOBi   OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


•^/M^' 


I 


'II 


ed  mfl  to  tlie  eourt-honie,  whioh  wm  fill- 
ed almost  to  saffooation.  The  panel 
was  immediately  called,  and  the  jury 

E laced  in  the  box.  Prerioui  to  their 
eine  sworn,  I  inquired  of  Barkins 
whether  any  of  them  were  related  to  the 
plaintiffs,  or  had  been  known  to  oxproM 
an  opinion  adverse  to  his  intereiti ;  for 
if  such  was  the  case,  it  was  the  time  to 
challenge  them.  To  rojr  astonishment, 
he  immediately  rose  and  told  the  judges 
he  challenged  the  whole  jury,  tho  bench 
of  magistrates,  and  every  man  in  the 
house — a  defiance  that  was  accompanied 
by  a  menacing  outstretched  arm  and 
clenched  fist.  A  shout  of  laughter  that 
nearly  shook  the  walls  of  the  building 
followed  this  violent  outbreak,  Nothing 
daunted  by  their  ridicule,  however,  he 
returned  to  the  charse,  and  said, 

"  I  repeat  it ;  I  challenge  the  whole 
of  you,  if  you  dare  I" 

Here  the  Court  interposed,  and  asked 
him  what  he  meant  by  such  indecent 
behavior. 

'>  Meant  I"  ho  said,  "  I  mean  what  I 
say.  The  strange  lawyer  bore  telle  mo 
now  is  my  time  to  challenge,  and  I  claim 
my  right ;  I  do  challenge  any  or  all  of 
you !  Pick  out  any  man  present  you 
please,  take  tho  smartest  chap  you've 
got,  put  us  both  on  board  the  same  ves- 
sel, and  I  ohallengb  him  to  catch,  spit, 
clean,  salt,  and  stow  away  as  many  fish 
in  a  day  as  I  can — cod,  polluck,  shad  or 
mackerel ;  I  don't  care  which,  for  it's  all 
the  samo  to  me  ;  and  I'll  go  a  hogshead 
of  rum  on  it  I  bisat  him  I  Will  any  man 
take  up  tho  challenge  ?"  and  ho  turned 
slowly  round  and  examined  the  whole 
crowd.  "  You  won't,  won't  you  1  I  guess 
not ;  you  know  a  triok  worth  two  of 
that,  I  reckon  I  There,  lawyer,  there 
is  my  challenge ;  now  go  on  with  the 
cause  1" 

As  Hoon  as  order  was  restored  tho 
jury  were  sworn,  and  the  plaintiff's 
counsel  opened  his  case  and  called  bis 
witnesses,  the  last  of  whom  was  Mr. 
Lillam. 

<'  That'H  him !"  said  Barkins,  putting 

hath  arms  round  my  neck  and  nearly 

choking  me,  as  he  whispered,  "  Ask  htm 

iiow  many  fins  a  cod  has,  at  a  word  V  " 


I  now  stood  up  to  cross^xamino  him,! 
when  I  was    again    in    the    8kipper'i[ 
elntohes.     "  Don't  forget  I  the  questio 
!•» 

"  If  you  do  not  sit  down  immediateljJ 
sir."  I  said  in  a  loud  and  authoritatiTcl 
voice  (f|)r  the  scene  had  become  ludiftf 
reus),  *'and  leave  me  to  conduct  tb 
oause  my  own  way,  I  shall  retire  fron 
theOourtI" 

He  sat  down,  and  groaning  audibljl 
put  both  hands  before  his  face  and  mu\\ 
tared — 

"  There  is  no  dependence  on  a  mail 
that  sleeps  at  the  helm  I" 

I  commenced,  however,  in  the  way  mjl 
poor  client  desired :  for  I  saw  plainljl 
that  he  was  more  anxious  of  what  hd 
called  stumping  old  Lillum  and  noD 

E lushing  him,  than  about  the  result  oil 
is  trial,  although  he  was  firmly  coii| 
vinoed  that  the  one  depended  on  th 
other. 

"  How  many  years  have  you  been  eS'| 
gaged  in  the  Labrador  fishery,  sir  ?" 

«  Twenty-five." 

"  You  are,  of  course,  perfectly  converf 
aant  with  the  cod-fishery?" 

"  Perfectly.     I  know  as  much,  if  no 
more,  about  it  than  any  man  in  Pljl 
mouth." 

Here  Barkins  pulled  my  coat,  andj 
most  beseechingly  said, 

«  Ask  him  " 

"  Be  quiet,  sir,  and  do  not  interrupJ 
me  I"  was  the  consolatory  reply  he  re- 
ceived. 

"  Of  course,  then,  after  such  long  cx| 
porienco,  sir,  you  know  a  cod-fish  wheif 
you  SCO  it  ?" 

<«  I  should  think  so !" 

"That  will  not  do,  sir.  Will  yo 
swear  that  you  do  ?" 

"  I  do  not  come  hear  to  be  made 
fool  of!" 

"  Nor  I  either,  sir  ;  I  require  you 
answer  yea  or  no.     Will  you  undertabl 
to  swear  that  you  know  a  cod-fish  when] 
you  see  it  ?" 

"  I  will,  sir." 

Here  Barkins  rose  and  struck  thtl 
table  with  his  fist  a  blow  that  noarlj| 
split  it,  and,  turning  to  me,  said, 

"Ask  him" 


HOW  HANf  FIND  HAS  A  COD?  OR,  FORTY  YEARS  AGO. 


it 


Dce  on  a  mail 


cod-fish  when 


"Silenoe,  sir!"  I  affain  yooiferated. 
«  Let  there  be  no  mistaKe,"  I  continued. 
^  I  will  repeat  the  question.  Do  you 
undertake  to  swear  that  you  know  a 
eod-fish  when  yon  see  it?" 

'*  I  do,  sir,  as  well  as  I  know  my  own 
name  when  I  see  it?" 

'*  Then,  sir,  how  many  fins  has  a  cod, 
at  a  word  ?" 

Here  the  blow  was  given,  not  on  the 
deal  slab  of  the  table,  but  on  my  back, 
with  such  force  as  to  throw  me  K>rward 
on  my  two  hands. 

"  Ay,  floor  him  I"  said  Barkins,  "  let 
him  answer  that  Question  t  The  lawyer 
has  you  there  I  How  many  fins  has  a 
cod,  at  a  word,  you  old  sculpin  ?" 

"  I  can  answer  you  that  without  hesi- 
tation." 

"  How  many,  then  ?" 

«  Let  me  see — three  on  the  back,  and 
two  on  the  shoulder,  that's  five ;  two  on 
the  nape,  that's  seven  ;  and  two  on  the 
shoulder,  that's  nine.    Nine,  sir  I" 

"  Missed  it,  by  Gosh  I"  said  Barkins. 
*' Didn't  I  tell  you  so?  I  knew  he 
couldn't  answer  it.  And  yet  that  fellow 
has  the  impudence  to  call  himself  a  fish- 
erman !" 

Here  I  requested  the  Court  to  inter- 
fere, and  compel  my  unfortunate  and 
excited  client  to  be  silent. 

"Is  there  not  a  small  fin  beside,"  I 
said,  "  between  the  under  jaw  and  the 
throat?" 

"  I  believe  there  is." 

"You  believe  I  Then,  sir,  it  seems 
you  are  in  doubt,  and  that  you  do  not 
know  a  cod-fish  when  you  see  it.  You 
may  go ;  I  will  not  ask  you  another 
question.  Go,  sir  I  but  let  me  advise 
you  to  be  more  careful  in  your  answers 
for  the  future." 

There  was  a  universal  shout  of  laugh- 
ter in  the  Court,  and  Barkins  availed 
himself  of  the  momentary  noise  to  slip 
his'  hand  under  the  table  and  grip  me 
by  the  thigh,  so  as  nearly  to  sever  the 
flesh  from  the  bone. 

"Bless  your  soul,  my  stout  fresh- 
water fish  I"  he  said  ;  "  you  have  gained 
the  case,  after  all  I  Didn't  I  tell  you 
he  couldn't  answer  that  question  ?  It's 
a  great  catch,  isn't  it  ?" 


The  plaintiffii  had  wholly  failed  in 
their  proof  Instead  of  contenting 
themselves  with  showing  the  voyage 
and  their  services,  from  which  the  law 
would  have  presumed  an  assumpsit  to 
pay  wages  according  to  the  ordinary 
course  of  business,  and  leaving  the  de- 
fendant to  prove  that  the  agreement 
was  a  special  one,  they  attempted  to 
prove  too  much,  by  establishing  a  nega- 
tive ;  and,  in  doing  so,  made  out  a  suffi- 
cient defence  for  Barkins.  Knowing 
how  much  depended  upon  the  last  ad- 
dress to  the  jury,  when  the  judge  was 
incompetent  to  direct  or  control  their 
decision,  I  closed  on  the  plaintiff's  case, 
and  called  no  witnesses.  The  jury  were 
informed  by  the  judge,  that,  having  now 
heard  the  case  on  the  part  of  the  plain- 
tiffs and  also  on  the  part  of  the  defend- 
ants, it  was  their  duty  to  make  up  their 
minds,  and  find  a  verdict  for  one  or  the 
other.  After  this  very  able,  intelligible, 
and  impartial  charge,  the  jury  were  con- 
ducted to  their  room,  and  toe  greater 
part  of  the  audience  adjourned  to  the 
neighboring  tavern  for  refreshment. 
The  judges  then  put  on  their  hats,  for 
the  air  of  the  hall  felt  cold  after  the 
withdrawal  of  so  many  persons,  and  the 
president  asked  me  to  go  and  take  a 
seat  on  the  bench  with  them. 

"  That  was  a  very  happy  thought  of 
yours,  sir,"  he  remarked,  "about  the 
fins.  I  don't  think  another  lawyer  in 
the  province  but  yourself  knows  how 
many  fins  a  cod  has.     A  man  who  has 


travelled  as  much  as 


you 


have,  has  a 


great  advantage.  If  you  had  never  been 
in  England,  you  never  would  have  learn- 
ed that,  for  you  never  would  have  crossed 
the  banks  of  Newfoundland,  and  seen 
the  great  fishery  there.  But  this  is  dull 
work;  let  us  retreat  into  the  adjoining 
room,  and  have  a  smoke  until  the  jury 
returns.  They  will  soon  be  back,  and 
I  think  I  may  venture  to  say  you  are 
sure  of  a  verdict.  You  displayed  great 
skill  in  that  matter  of  the  fius." 

Just  as  we  were  about  retiring,  our 
attention  was  arrested  by  a  great  noisCj 
occasioned  by  a  constable  endeavoring 
to  remove  a  turbulent  and  drunken  fel- 
low from  the  court.     The  judge  prompt- 


iVf'-' 


;;A, 


f'i>K 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OE,  LIFE  IN  A  COLON!. 


vmu 


ly  interfered,  fined  him  fiye  ehillinga  for 
his  contemptuous  oonduot,  and  directed 
the  prothonotsry  to  lay  it  oat  in  par- 
ohMinff  a  bottle  of  wine  wherewith  to 
drink  the  health  of  the  Stranger  Lawyer. 
Haring  settled  this  little  matter  to  his 
satisfaotion,  he  led  the  way  to  the  an- 
teroom, where  pipes  were  provided,  and 
the  officer  soon  appeared  with  the  wine 
and  some  glasses.  Filing  a  tumbler, 
the  prothonotary  apologised  for  not 
being  able  to  remain  with  us,  and  drank 
respectfully  to  the  health  of  the  Court. 

•'  Stop,  sir  I"  said  the  judge  ;  "  stop, 
sir!  Your  conduct  is  unpardonable  I 
I  consider  year  behavior  a  great  con- 
tempt in  helping  yourself  first.  I  fine 
you  five  shillings  ror  your  indecent  haste, 
and  request  you  to  pay  it  immediately 
in  the  shape  of  a  bottle  of  brandy  ;  for 
that  wine,"  of  which  he  took  a  tumbler 
fall  by  way  of  tasting,  "  is  not  fit  for  a 
gentleman  to  drink." 

"  A  very  forward  follow  that  protho- 
notary I"  said  the  legal  dignitary,  as  the 
officer  withdrew. 

"Instead  of  being  contented  with 
being  the  clerk  of  the  court,  he  wants 
to  be  the  master  of  it,  and  I  find  it 
necessary  to  keep  him  in  his  place. 
Only  think  of  his  confounded  impudence 
in  presuming  to  help  himself  first  I  He 
would  drink  the  millpond  dry  if  it  was 
wine,  and  then  complain  it  did  not  hold 
enough  !  For  my  own  part,  I  am 
obliged  to  be  very  abstemious  now,  as  I 
am  subject  to  the  gout.  I  itever  exceed 
two  bottles  of  late  years,  and  I  rectify 
the  acidity  of  the  wine  by  taking  a  glass 
of  clear  brandy  (which  I  call  the  caked 
truth)  between  every  two  of  Madeira. 
Ah,  here  is  the  brandy,  lawyer !  Your 
very  good  health,  sir — pray  help  your- 
self; and  Mr.  Prothonotary,  here's  bet- 
ter manners  to  you  in  future.  Seniores 
priores,  sir,  that's  the  rule." 

Here  the  constable  knocked  at  the 
door,  and  announced  that  the  jury  were 
in  attendance. 

"  Don't  rise,  Mr.  Sandford,"  said  the 

judge ;  "  let  them  wait :  haste  is  not 

dignified.     Help  yourself,  sir;  this  is 

Tery  good  brandy.     I  always  like  to  let 

Jbem  appear  to  wait  upon  me,  instead 


of  their  thinking  I  wait  upon  them. 
What  with  the  prothonotary  treading 
on  my  toes  and  the  jury  on  my  heels, 
I  have  enough  to  do  to  preserve  the 
dignity  of  the  Court,  I  assure  you.  Bat 
Tempos  preUerlahelw  »/,  as  we  ased  to 
say  at  Cambridge,  Massachusetts ;  that 
is,  John  Adams,  senior,  and  our  class, 
for  I  was  contemporary  with  that  tal- 
ented and  distinguished—- ahem — stingy 
rebel!  Help  yourself,  sir.  Come,  I 
won't  leave  any  of  this  aqua  vita  for 
that  thirsty  prothonotary.  Xhere,  sir," 
he  said,  smacking  his  lips  with  evident 
delight,  <'  there  is  the^nt«  and  his  fine. 
Now  let  us  go  into  court.  But  give  me 
your  arm,  sir,  for  I  think  I  feel  a  slight 
twinee  of  that  abominable  gout  A 
dreadful  penalty  that,  that  Nature  assoa 
SCB  on  gentility.  But  not  so  fast,  if  you 
please,  sir  I  true  dignity  delights  in 
otium,  or  leisure ;  but  abhors  tugoliumj 
or  hurry.  Haste  is  the  attribute  of  a 
prothonotary,  who  writes,  talks,  and 
drinks  as  fast  as  he  oan^  but  is  very  un- 
becoming the  gravity  and  majesty  of  the 
law.  The  gait  of  a  juiike  should  be  slow, 
stately,  and  solemn.  But  here  we  are, 
let  us  take  our  respective  seats." 

As  soon  as  we  made  our  appearance, 
the  tumultuous  wave  of  the  crowd 
rushed  into  the  oourt-house,  and  surg- 
ing backward  and  forward,  gradually 
settled  down  to  a  level  and  tranquil  sur- 
face. The  panel  was  then  called  oyer, 
and  the  verdict  read  aloud.  It  was  for 
the  defendant. 

Barkins  was  not  so  much  elated  as  I 
had  expected.  He  appeared  to  have 
been  prepared  for  any  event.  He  had 
had  his  gratification  already.  "  Old 
Lillum  was  fioored,"  the  ^  knowing  one 
had  been  nonplushed,"  and  he  was  satis- 
fied. He  had  a  duty  to  perforpi,  how- 
ever, which  he  did  with  great  pleasure, 
and  I  have  no  doubt  with  great  liberal- 
ity. The  jury  were  to  be  "treated," 
for  it  was  the  custom  of  those  days  for 
the  winning  party  to  testify  his  giati- 
tude  by  copious  libations  of  brandy  and 
rum.  As  soon  as  the  verdict  was  re- 
corded, he  placed  himself  at  their  head, 
and  led  the  way  to  the  tavern  with  as 
much  gravity  and  order  as  if  he  wat 


HOW   MANY  PINS  HAS  A  COD  1  OR,  FORTY  YEARS  AGO. 


21 


oondaoting  a  guard  of  honor.  Ai  soon 
aa  they  were  all  in  the  street,  he  turned 
about,  and  walking  backward  so  as  to 
face  them,  and  at  the  same  time  not  to 
interrupt  their  progress  to  that  mantiion 
of  bliss,  he  saicl — 

"  A  pretty  fellow  that  Lillum,  ain't 
he  ?  to  swear  he  knew  what  s  cod  was, 
and  yet  couldn't  tell  how  many  fins  it 
had,  at  a  word  I  Who  would  have 
thought  that  milksop  of  a  lawyer  would 
have  done  so  well  ?  He  actually  scared 
mo  when  I  first  saw  him ;  for  a  feller 
that  smokes  cigars  instead  of  a  pipe, 
drinks  red  ink  (port  wine)  instead  of 
old  Jamaiky,  and  has  a  pair  of  hands 
as  white  as  the  belly  of  a  flat  fish,  ain't 
worth  his  pap,  in  a  general  way.  How- 
sumdever,  it  don't  do  to  hang  a  feller 
for  his  looks,  after  all,  that's  a  fact ;  for 
that  crittur  is  like  a  singed  cat,  better 
nor  he  seems.    But,  como,  let's  liquor  I" 

I  did  not  see  him  again  till  the  even- 
ing, when  he  came  to  congratulate  me 
apon  having  done  the  handsomest  thing, 
he  said,  as  every  body  allowed,  that 
ever  was  done  in  Plymouth, — shown  the 
greatest  fisherman  in  it  (in  his  own  con- 
ceit) that  he  didn't  know  a  cod-fish  when 
he  saw  it. 

"  It  was  a  great  catch  that,  lawyer," 
he  continued,  and  he  raised  me  up  in 
his  arms  and  walked  round  the  room 
with  me  as  if  he  were  carrying  a  baby. 
"  Don't  forget  it, '  How  many  fins  has  a 
cod,  at  a  word  V  Taw  never  need  to 
want  a  half-pint  of  brandy  while  you 
have  that  fact  to  bet  upon  I" 

The  next  day  I  left  Plymouth  very 
early  in  the  morning.  When  I  de- 
Bcended  to  the  door,  I  found  both  Rob- 
ins and  Barkins  there,  and  received  a 
hearty  and  cordial  farewell  from  both 
of  them.  The  latter  entreated  rae,  if 
ever  I  came 


that 


way  again, 


to  favor 


him  with  a  visit,  as  he  had  some  capital 
Jamaica  forty  years  old,  and  would  be 
glad  to  instruct  me  in  the  habits  of  fish 
and  fishermen. 


!;a   'Ki    Vii" 


.»'i- 


'■■■t'  t; 


t 


"  I  will  show  you,"  he  said,  "  how  to 
make  a  shoal  of  mackerel  follow  your 
vessel  like  a  pack  of  dogs.  I  can  tell 
vott  how  to  make  them  rise  from  the 
bottom  of  the  sea  in  thousands,  when 
common  folks  can't  tell  there  is  one 
there,  and  then  how  to  feed  and  coax 
them  away  to  the  very  spot  you  want  to 
take  them.  I  will  show  you  bow  to 
spear  shad,  and  how  to  strike  the  fat- 
test salmon  that  ever  was,  so  that  it 
will  keep  to  go  to  the  East  Indies  ;  and 
I'll  larn  you  how  to  smoke  herrings 
without  dryin'  them  hard,  and  tell  you 
the  wood  and  the  vegetables  that  give 
them  the  highest  flavor ;  and  even  them 
cussed,  dry,  good-for-nothing  all-wives, 
I'll  teach  you  how  to  cure  them  so  you 
will  say  they  are  the  most  delicious  fish 
you  ever  tasted  in  all  your  life.  I  will, 
upon  my  soul  I  And  now,  before  you 
go,  I  want  you  to  do  me  a  good  turn, 
lawyer.  Just  take  this  little  silver 
flask,  my  friend,  to  remember  old  John 
Barkins  by,  when  he  is  dead  and  gone, 
and  when  people  in  these  parts  shall 
say  when  you  inquire  after  him,  that 
they  don't  know  such  a  man  as  old 
John  Barkins  no  more.  It  is  a  beauti- 
ful article.  I  found  it  in  the  pocket  of 
a  captain  of  a  Spanish  privateer  that 
boarded  mv  vessel,  and  that  I  bit  over 
the  head  with  a  handspike,  so  bard  that 
he  never  knew  what  hurt  him.  It  will 
just  suit  you,  for  it  only  holds  a  thim- 
blcfuU,  and  was  made  a  purpose  for 
fresh-water  fish,  like  Spaniards  and  law- 
yers. Good-byl  God  bless  you,  sir  I 
A  fair  wind  and  a  short  passage  to 
you !" 

I  had  hardly  left  the  door,  before  I 
heard  my  name  shouted  after  me. 

"  Mr.  Sandford ! — lawyer  !  lawyer  !" 

It  was  old  Barkins  I  anticipated 
his  object ;  I  knew  it  was  his  old 
theme — 

"  Lawyer,  don't  forget  the  oatoh, 
'  How  many  fins  has  a  ood,  at  a 
word?"'   ....     .    ,.    ., 


""!t 


;  -(■;  ;i 


,''"'!■■. 


'^'■'•■•1 

m 

r 


\u. 


J  5 


i-' 


:    nifX>'^  .^>     *  v!»i'''  A   !-/  .t   i-.'i  I 


.  )•■:' 


it'      .  ...ij   Ml  u->.A    i'<)  / 


'. 


■  .  i»  ti  1 

.r:::::.,M  asking  a  governor  to  dine.    '"|.;b 


1' 


Trk  anriTftl  of  an  English  steamer  at 
Halifax,  and  the  landing  of  a  Governor- 
general  for  Canada,  have  formed  an  all- 
engrossing  topic  of  conversation  during 
the  past  week  at  Illinoo.  In  the  winter 
■eaaon,  when  but  few  vessels  enter  the 
port,  and  during  the  period  that  inter- 
venes between  seed-time  and  harvest, 
when  the  operations  of  agriculture  are 
wholly  suspended,  politics  are  ably  and 
amply  discussed,  and  very  sapient  con- 
jectures formed  as  to  the  future,  in 
those  interesting  and  valuable  normal 
schools  for  statesmen — the  debating 
societies,  taverns,  blacksmiths'  shops, 
tap-rooms,  and  the  sunny  and  shelibred 
corners  of  the  streets.  Everyone,  how- 
ever humble  his  station  may  be,  is  un- 
eommonly  well-informed  on  affairs  of 
state.  A  man  who  can  scarcely  patch 
the  tattered  breeches  of  a  patriot,  can 
mend  with  great  facility  and  neatness  a 
oonstitution,  and  he  who  exhibits  great 
awkwardness  in  measuring  a  few  yards 
of  riband  manifests  astonishing  skill  in 
handling  the  measures  of  a  government. 
Indeed,  provincials  have  a  natural  turn 
for  political  economy,  as  the  Germans 
and  Italians  have  for  music ;  and  it  is 
the  principal  source  of  amusement  they 
possess. 

If  Lord  John  Russell  were  to  spend 
an  evening  at  the  public  room  of  the 
Exchange  in  this  town,  he  would  find 
such  topics  as  the  corn-laws,  free  trade, 
responsible  government,  and  repeal  of 
the  union,  disposed  of  to  his  entire  satis- 
faction, in  a  manner  so  lucid,  so  logical 
and  conclusive,  that  he  could  not  fail  to 
be  both  astonished  and  edified.  He 
would  be  convinced  that  the  Colonial 


Office  should  b«  removed  from  Downing 
Street,  London,  to  Shark  Street,  Blue- 
berry Square,  Illinoo,  where  there  are 
master  minds  capable  of  directing,  re- 
conciling, and  advancing  the  complicated 
interests  of  a  vast  and  populous  empire. 
To  such  a  zealous  statesman  discussions 
of  this  kind  would,  no  doubt,  be  exceed- 
ingly interesting ;  but,  as  they  are  too 
deep  and  difficult  for  my  comprehension. 
I  prefer  listening  to  the  grapnic,  thougl^ 
rather  ascetic,  "Sketches  of  Life  in  a 
Colony,"  by  my  friend  Barclay : — 

Two  such  important  and  simultane- 
ous arrivals,  sir,  he  said,  as  those  of  a 
steamer  and  a  governor,  always  create 
great  interest  in  this  country — the  one 
for  wonders  achieved,  and  the  other  for 
wonders  to  be  performed.  Indeed,  they 
are  so  identified  one  with  the  other,  that 
the  reception  and  farewell  they  severally 
receive  are  precisely  similar.  The  ap- 
proach of  both  is  regarded  with  intense 
curiosity,  and  witnessed  with  great 
anxiety  by  the  whole  population,  on  ac- 
count of  the  novelties  they  are  expected 
to  bring  with  them ;  and  both  the  great 
ship  and  the  great  man  depart,  so  noise- 
lessly and  80  quietly,  as  not  even  to  dis- 
turb the  dulness  of  that  drowsy  town 
Halifax,  for,  alas  I  their  sojourn  here  is 
a  tale  that  is  told.  The  formal  landing 
and  final  embarkation  of  a  Governor 
present  such  a  singular  contrast,  that 
they  are  well  worth  describing. 

As  soon  as  it  is  known  that  this  high 
functionary  is  on  board,  all  the  little 
world  of  Halifax  rush  with  impetuous 
haste,  like  a  torrent,  into  Water  Street 
and  from  thence  through  a  narrow  pas 
sage  like  an  arched  tunnel,  down  ao 


here  were,  t 


ASKING  A  OOVERNOR  TO  DINE. 


«  ii<W-HJ  i«ti 


Ibrapt  declivity,  to  a  long,  narrow,  din- 
%,  and  uDsafe  wharf,  the  extremity  of 
Irhiob  is  covered  (with  the  exception  of 
,  footpath  of  about  nine  feet  wide)  br  a 
jw  miaerablo  8hed,  that  is  dignified 
)ith  the  name  of  the  "  Customs'  Ware- 
louse."    The  whole  of  the  surface  of 
lis  dangerous  place  is  crowded  to  ex- 
98S,  by  a  mixed  and  motleyed  multi- 
ide  of  black  and  white  of  both  sexea — 
Drters,  truckmen,  and  cabmen,  Tocifer- 
Insly  demand    or    enforce  a  passage, 
>bile  thoao  on  the  outer  edge,  pressed 
the  extremity  of  the  docks,  utter 
Dud  screams  of  terror  from  the  impend- 
pg  danger  of  instant  death  by  drown- 

bg- 
Amid  such  a  confused  and  moving 
rong  it  is  not  easy  to  distinguish  in- 

ividuals,  but  any  one  acquainted  with 
e  town  can  see  that  the  heathen  who 

orship  the  rising  sun  are  there,  and 
le  Pharisees,  who  are  waiters  on  Provi- 

lence,  the  restless  and  the  discontented, 
e  hungry  and  needy  place-hunters, 
d,  above  all,  the  seekers  for  position — 

lot  a  safe  position  on  the  Quay,  because 
such  a  crowd  no  place  is  nafe — but 
t  an  improved  social  position,  which 
,e  countenance  of  the  Qovernor  is  ex- 
ted    to    confer.      This    holiday  is 

laimed  and  enjoyed  by  the  people  and 
eir  leaders.  There  is  no  place  allot- 
id  for  persons  of  another  class,  and  if 
ere  were,  they  would  soon  be  compelled 
leave  it  by  the  intolerable  "  pressure 
im  without."  Many  an  anxious  face 
now  illumined  by  expectations  of  bet- 
r  times ;  for  hope,  like  the  Scottish 

r,  takes  root  and  flourishes  in  a  cold 

Ind  sterile  soil,  that  refuses  nutriment 
any  thing  less  vivacious.  Far  above 
e  heads  of  the  gaping  multitude  rises 
e  huge  Leviathan,  the  steamer,  equal- 
crowded  with  the  wharf  with  strango- 
king  people,  habited  in  still  stranger- 
king  foreign  costumes,  staring  with 

stless  indifference  at  the  idle  curiosity 

|f  the  idle  mob  beneath.  The  descent 
cm  the  deck,  which  is  effected  by  a 
m  almost  perpendicular  planks,  with- 

at  railing,  hand-rope,  or  any  security 
hatever,  like  the  descent  to  the  grave, 
oqpunon  to  all,  from  the  viceroy,  with 


his  gav  am?  numerous  stafl^  to  the  stok* 
er  with  his  sdoty  and  cumbrous  sack  of 
coals,  who,  revcrsiug  the  order  of  things, 
imparts  more  than  he  rcceivos. 

The  thunder  of  artillery  from  the 
citadel  ami  the  flag-sliip  of  the  Admiral 
announces  '">  the  world  tho  important 
event  that  tho  (lovernor  has  now  land- 
ed ;  and  the  natiouul  anthem  from  the 
band  of  the  guard  of  honor,  and  the 
cheers  of  the  free  and  enlightened  oiti- 
lens  of  Halifax,  are  the  first  strains  of 
welcome  that  salute  his  ear.  On  his 
way  to  the  palace  he  stops  fur  a  few 
moments  at  the  "  Province  Building," 
where  among  the  fashion,  beauty,  and 
gentry  of  the  town,  and  surrounded  by 
the  executive  councillors,  he  takes  the 
usual  oaths  of  office,  and  assumes  the 
reins  of  Qovernment.  Legislutive  and 
civic  bodies  now  present  to  him  addres- 
ses, expressive  of  their  heartfelt  grati- 
tude to  their  most  gracious  Sovereign 
for  having  selected,  as  a  particular  mark 
of  favor  to  themselves,  such  a  distin- 
guished man  to  rule  over  thcai,  which 
they  cannot  but  attribute  to  their  own 
unquenchable  and  unquestionable  loyal- 
ty, and  to  the  kind  and  good  feeling 
they  ever  exhibited  to  his  predecessors. 
They  do  not  forget  to  remind  him  that 
they  have  always  felt  as  affectionately 
as  they  have  expressed  themselves  dec- 
orously towards  every  Governor  of  this 
province,  none  of  whom  they  have  ever 
placed  in  a  position  of  difficulty,  or  de- 
serted when  they  found  him  so  situated ; 
and  conclude  with  an  offer  of  their  cor 
dial  and  strenuous  support. 

The  Governor,  on  his  part,  a  gentle* 
man  by  birth  and  education,  is  much 
affected  with  this  flattering  reference  to 
himself,  and  the  kind  and  generoua 
greeting  with  which  he  has  been  receiv- 
ed. He  naturally  supposes  that  suob 
respectable  looking  people  mean  what 
they  say ;  and  as  they  have,  with  a  deli- 
cacy above  all  praise,  made  no  mention 
of  any  difference  of  opinion  among 
themselves,  he  augurs  well  of  his  sue* 
cess  among  a  united  population,  whose 
leaders  express  themselves  so  well  and 
feel  so  warmly.  Touched  by  a  behav- 
ior that  appeals  directly  to  his  heart, 


m 

'¥■4 

'.'"■■• 
I*."- 

I 

••I. 


24 


THE  OLD  JUDOE:  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


w 


Hi;: 


and  unwilling  to  bo  outdone  in  such 
magnanimous  conduct,  ho  assures  tlicm 
that  it  will  bo  his  pleasure,  as  it  is  his 
duty,  to  co-opcrato  with  thorn  in  any 
measure  that  has  for  its  object  the  bene- 
fit of  the  province ;  and  that  they  may 
confidently  rely  upon  his  untiring  ef- 
forts to  develop  the  vast  resources, 
both  mineral  and  agricultural,  of  this 
interesting  and  beautiful  appendage  of 
the  British  Empire. 

As  soon  as  these  ceremonies  are  ter- 
minated, immediate  reference  is  made 
by  some  of  his  new  and  sincere  friends 
to  the  army  list  or  peerage  books  for 
the  purpose  of  ascertaining  his  services 
or  his  pedigree,  but  never,  I  am  happy 
to  say,  for  the  credit  of  our  population, 
for  discovering  some  blot  in  his  es- 
cutcheon, or  some  failure  in  his  conduct 
wherewith  to  vilify  or  abuse  him  here- 
after; for  such  is  the  resource  only  of 
low  and  ignoble  minds.  But,  alas ! 
colonial  addresses  are  commonly  but 
unmeaning  compliments,  and  the  prom- 
ises of  support  they  contain  are  always 
accompanied  by  a  mental  reservation 
that  a  valuable  equivalent  is  to  be  ren- 
dered in  return.  As  soon  as  he  finds  it 
necessary  to  call  for  the  fulfilment  of 
this  voluntary  engagement,  he  finds  to 
his  astonishment  that  this  harmonious 
and  happy  people  are  divided  into  two 
parties,  Conservatives  and  Great  Liber- 
als. What  that  term  Conservatism 
means,  I  do  not  exactly  know ;  and  it 
is  said  that  in  England  Sir  Robert  Peel 
is  the  only  man  that  does.  But  in  a 
colony  it  would  puzzle  that  wily  and 
oameleon-like  politician  even  to  conjec- 
ture its  signification.  I  take  it,  however, 
to  be  an  abandonment  of  all  principle, 
and  the  substitution  of  expediency  in 
its  place ;  a  relinquishment  of  any  po- 
litical creed,  and  the  adoption  of  a  slid- 
ing-scale  whereby  tenets  rise  or  fall 
according  to  popular  pulsation.  Great 
Liberalism,  on  the  other  hand,  is  better 
understood,  for  it  is  as  ancient  as  a  re- 
public. It  rests  in  theory  on  universal 
suffrage  and  equal  lights  ;  but  in  prao- 
tice  exhibits  the  exclusion  and  tyranny 
of  a  majority. 
The  real  objects  of  these  two  amiable 


and  attraotive  parties  are  so  well  masfc 
ed  under  high-sounding  words  and  spo' 
cious  professions,  that  the  limited  period  I 
of  gubernatorial  rule  is  generally  half  I 
expired  before  a  stranger  understands 
them.     When,  at  last,  he  attempts  to 
reconcile  these  conflicting  factions,  and 
to  form  a  mixed  government,  that  shall 
combine  all  the  great  interests  of  the 
country,  the  Conservatives  inform  him, 
in  very  moderate  and  temperate  lan- 
guage, and  with  much  complacency,  that  I 
they  are  both  able  and  willing  to  govern 
the  province  themselves,  the  prosperity 
of  which  has  been  greatly  advanced  by  I 
their  sound  and  judicious  policy.    They 
admit  that  they  have  conferred  several 
important  appointments  of  late  upon 
their  own  relatives,  but  entreat  him  to  I 
believe  that  affinity  never  entered  into  I 
their  consideration  ;  for,  as  they  are  the  j 
best  qualified  themselves  to  form  an  ad- 
ministration,  so  are   their   connexions  I 
the  most  suitable  for  public  offices.    At  | 
the  same  time,  they  proclaim  their  ex- 
treme anxiety  to  carry  out  his  views,! 
and  promote  the  peace  and  harmony  of  I 
the  country;   and,  as  a  proof  of  the  I 
great  sacrifice  they  arc  willing  to  make, 
offer  to  him  a  resignation  of  one  seat  at  I 
the  council   board,  which   is  attended 
with  great  labor  and  unaccompanied  by 
any  remuneration,  and  also  one  legal  I 
appointment,  to  which  the  large  salary  I 
of  eighty  pounds  sterling  a  year  is  at-  f 
tac^f'd. 

loe  Great   Liberals,  on   the  other  I 
hand,  with  a  vast  display  of  learning 
(for  they  have  some  distinguished  ju-[ 
rists  among  them),  treat  him  to  a  long  I 
dissertation  on  the  British  Constitution, 
the  principles  of  which  they  have  de- 
rived, with   infinite  industry   and   re 
search,  from  the  notes  of  an  American! 
edition   of    "  Blaekstone's    Commenta-| 
and   inform   him   that   they 


ries,' 


are 


ready  to  take  office,  if  he  will  turn  out 
all  the  present  incumbents  for  their 
benefit,  or  create  an  equal  number  of 
situations  of  equivalent  value,  to  sup- 
port them  while  thus  engaged  in  their 
disinterested  labors  for  th»  public  good. 
They  frankly  state  to  him  that  work  re* 
quires  food,  that  they  are  sturdy  men 


ASKING  A  GOVERNOR  TO  MNE. 


IIT 


tt 


and  haro  a  good  appetite,  and,  moreoyer, 
that  broad  and  honey  will  not  appease 
their  hunger.  Ho  therefore  finda  him- 
flelf,  to  his  amazement,  in  what  the 
Americans  with  some  humor,  but  more 
elegance,  call  "  a  considerable  fix." 

But  this  is  a  painful  suhjeot,  and  I 
will  not  pursue  it.  for  I  have  nothing  in 
common  with  either  Conservatism  or 
Great  Liberalism,  which  I  believe  to  be 
mere  modifications  of  the  same  thing. 
I  have  done  with  politics  long  since. 
When  I  did  think  or  talk  of  them,  I  be- 
longed to  a  party  now  nearly  extinct  in 
these  colonies — the  good  old  Tory  party, 
the  best,  the  truest,  the  most  attached 
and  loyal  subjects  her  Majesty  ever  had, 
or  ever  will  have,  in  North  America. 
There  are  only  a  few  of  them  now  sur- 
viving, and  they  are  old  and  infirm  men, 
with  shattered  constitutions  and  broken 
hearts.  They  have  ceased  to  recruit, 
or  even  to  muster  for  several  years ;  for 
who  would  enlist  in  a  body  that  was 
doomed  to  inevitable  martyrdom,  amid 
the  indifference  of  their  friends  and  the 
derision  of  their  enemies  ?  Hunted 
and  persecuted  by  rebels  and  agitators, 
they  were  shamefully  abandoned  to 
their  cruel  fate  by  those  for  whom  they 
had  fought  and  bled,  and  whole  heca- 
tombs of  them  were  at  different  times 
offered  up  as  a  sacrifice  to  appease  the 
sanguinary  wrath  of  the  infidel  deities 
of  sedition.  Of  late,  they  have  enjoyed 
comparative  repose,  for  they  have  noi- 
ther  influence  nor  numbers  now  to  ren- 
der them  objects  of  proscription  or 
insult.  Let  us,  however,  throw  a  man- 
tle over  these  disgusting  ulcers  in  the 
body  politic,  and  amuse  ourselves  by 
shooting  Folly  as  it  files.  Let  us  pass 
over  the  intervening  space  of  the  (iov- 
ernor's  rule.  I  have  described  to  you 
his  landing  ;  we  will  now  proceed  to  the 
wharf  again,  witness  his  embarkation 
for  his  native  land,  and  mark  the  agree- 
able change. 

The  steamer  has  arrived  from  Boston 
en  route  for  England.  She  has  no  pas- 
sengers fof  Halifax  ;  and  a  few  bagmen 
and  a  subaltern  or  two,  whom  nobody 
knows,  are  the  only  persons  to  be  taken 
on  board.     The  rabble  are  not  there, 


the  Governor's  patronage  baa  beeo 
snvall,  and  he  has  not  been  able  to  find 
offices  for  every  applicant.  The  naked 
have  not  all  been  clothed,  and  many  of 
the  hungry  have  been  sent  empty  away. 
They  have  seen  him  continually ;  he  ia 
no  longer  a  novelty ;  his  day  is  past, 
his  power  is  gone,  and  they  have  now 
nothing  to  hope  or  receive  from  his 
bounty,  and  nothing  to  fear  or  endure 
from  his  disapprobation.  Groups  of 
gentlemen  and  ladies,  gay  carriages  con> 
taining  many  a  familiar  face,  heads  of 
departments,  and  the  respectable  part 
of  the  community  (many  of  whom  are 
personal  friends,  and  warmly  attached 
to  him),  occupy  the  wharf,  which  now 
appears  to  afford  sufficient  space  for  the 
purpose.  Instead  of  the  noisy  and  iral- 
gar  cheer  with  which  he  was  received, 
the  tremulous  voice,  the  starting  tear, 
the  silent  but  eloquent  pressure  of  the 
hand,  convince  him  that,  if  he  baa  not 
received  all  the  support  that  was  so 
sp6ntaneously  and  insincerely  offered  to 
him,  he  has  secured  more  of  affection 
and  regard  than  he  could  have  expected 
in  so  short  a  time ;  and  that  his  honest 
endeavors  to  benefit  the  country  have 
been  duly  appreciated  by  all  those 
whose  good  opinion  is  worth  having. 

Such  is  the  usual  course  of  events 
here ;  but  sometimes  the  same  idle  and 
turbulent  crowd  attend  a  Governor  at 
his  embarkation  that  honored  his  arri* 
val,  and  when  that  is  the  case,  and  they 
form  his  exclusive  escort,  he  has  good 
grounds  for  self-examination,  and  he 
may,  with  propriety,  ask  himself  what 
he  has  done  to  deserve  such  a  degrada- 
tion. 

Considering  a  Governor,  apart  from 
his  political  opinions,  as  the  head  of 
society  at  Halifax,  it  is  amusing  to  bear 
the  inquiries  and  conjectures  us  to  the 
probable  manner  in  which  ho  will  re- 
ceive his  guests,  or  whether  he  will  con- 
tract or  enlarge  the  circle  of  people  to 
be  admitted  at  the  palace.  There  is  no 
little  anxiety  among  the  mammas,  to 
know  whether  he  is  married  or  single, 
and  who  the  persons  are  that  compos* 
his  staff.  The  young  ladies  are  not  less 
interested  in  ascertaining  whether  he  ii 


!      * 


V:*i 


'r 


t6 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


"1» 


!i^i. 

M 


m 


,Mi 


j  • 


:il 


likely  to  enliven  the  tedium  of  winter 
by  giving  balls,  for,  on  this  important 
Subject,  the  practice  has  not  been  uni- 
form. 

Tradition  has  preserved,  and  affection 
has  cherished,  the  memory  of  dear  old 
Governor  Lawrence,  who  lost  his  life  in 
the  service  of  the  fair  sex,  by  over- 
exertion in. attempting  to  fulfil  avow  to 
dance  with  every  young  lady  in  the 
room.  For  this  voluntary  martyrdom, 
he  has  been  very  properly  canonized, 
and  St.  Lawrence  is  now  universally 
considered  as  the  patron  saint  of  all 
Nova  Scotia  assemblies. 

Among  another  class,  there  is  an 
equally  important  inquiry :  Will  he 
dine  out?  On  this  point  also,  as  on  the 
other,  there  are  many  conflicting  prece- 
dents, from  Governor  Parr,  who  pre- 
ferred dining  any  where  to  being  at 
home,  to  his  Excellency  Governor  7m- 
par,  who,  in  my  opinion,  very  properly 
dined  no  where  but  at  home.  As  the 
distributor  of  rank  and  patronage,  and 
the  arbiter  of  fashion,  the  course  to  be 
adopted  by  one  who  is  to  administer  the 
affairs  of  the  country  for  five  years  is  a 
matter  of  great  importance  to  people 
who  are  desirous  of  acquiring  a  position 
in  society ;  for,  until  recently,  any  per- 
son whom  a  Governor  countenanced  by 
accepting  his  invitation,  became  thereby 
a  sort  of  honorary  member  of  the  high- 
er class. 

My  attention  was  first  directed  to 
this  peculiarity  many  years  ago,  in  the 
time  of  Sir  Hercules  Sampson.  A  mer- 
chant of  the  name  of  G  banning,  who 
had  begun  life  with  a  small  property, 
which,  by  great  industry,  and  a  long 
course  of  upright  and  honorable  dealing, 
he  had  increased  into  a  large  fortune, 
was  very  anxious  that  the  Governor 
should  impress  the  Tower  mark  of  his 
approbation  upon  himself  and  his  silver 
by  dining  with  him.  He  had  looked 
forward  to  this  period  vrith  much  anx- 
iety for  many  years,  and  had  built  a 
large  and  commodious  house,  which  he 
filled  with  rich  and  expensive  furniture. 
Upon  the  arrival  of  Sir  Hercules,  he 
waited  upon  him  with  slow  and  hesitat- 
ing steps,  and,  according  to  the  usual 


etiquette,  solicited  the  honor  of  hu  din< 
ing  with  him,  and  naming  a  time  for 
that  purpose.  The  Governor,  who  was 
a  considerate,  kind-hearted,  aiSable  old 
man,  readily  acceded  to  his  wishes,  and 
proposed  that  day  week  for  conferring 
happiness  upon  him. 

Cfhanning  returned,  with  a  lighter 
heart  and  quicker  pace,  to  communicate 
the  overpowering  news  to  his  agitated 
wife.  They  were  an  affectionate  and 
domestic  couple,  and  had  always  lived 
in  perfect  seclusion.  Great  were  the 
fears  and  many  the  conferences  that  pre- 
ceded this  eventful  day.  Poor  Mrs. 
Ohanning  was  lost  in  a  sea  of  doubts 
and  perplexities.  None  of  her  acquaint- 
ances were  better  instructed  on  these 
matters  than  herself,  for  they  were  all 
in  the  same  class  of  life,  and  equally 
ignorant  of  what  she  desired  to  be  in- 
formed ;  when,  by  great  good  fortune, 


discovered  an  able  counsellor  and 
valuable  assistant,  well  versed  in  all  the 
forms  and  usages  of  the  royal  party,  in 
the  butler  of  a  former  viceroy. 

It  was  an  anxious  and  trying  week, 
and  the  longest,  in  her  apprehension,  she 
had  ever  passed ;  but  weeks  and  months, 
as  well  as  years,  come  to  an  end  at  last, 
and  the  long-expected  and  dreaded  day 
had  now  arrived.  Chairs  were  uncover- 
ed, curtains  unfolded,  grates  polished, 
and  all  the  finery  and  bijouterie  of  the 
house  displayed  to  the  greatest  advan- 
tage.  Every  contingency  had  been  pro- 
vided for ;  every  order  given,  repeated, 
and  reiterated,  and  her  own  toilet  com' 
pleted  ;  when,  fatigued,  exhausted,  and 
alarmed,  she  descended  to  the  drawing- 
room,  and  awaited  with  her  husband  this 
awful  announcement  of  her  distinguish- 
ed guests.  The  hands  of  the  clock  ap- 
peared to  be  stationary.  It  was  evident- 
ly going,  but  they  did  not  seem  to  ad- 
vance. The  arrival  of  myself  and 
several  others  at  the  same  time  was  a 
great  relief  to  her  niiud,  as  it  diverted 
her  thoughts  from  her  harassing  anx- 
ieties. At  last,  heavy  and  long  con'tin- 
ued  knocks,  like  the  rub-a-dub  of  a 
drum,  that  made  the  side  of  the  house 
vibrate,  announced  the  approach  of  the 
Government-bouse  party. 


ASKING  A  GOVERNOR  TO  DINE. 


27 


In  those  days  the  magnetic  telegraph 
(if  the  door-bell  had  not  been  introduced 
into  the  country,  and  it  is  a  subject  of 
great  regret  to  all  reflecting  minds  that 
It  ever  has  been  imported.     It  is  one 
of  those  refinements  that  have  debili* 
tated  the  tone  of  our  nerves,  and,  by  do- 
priving  them  of  exercise,  rendered  them 
80  delicate,  that  they  are  excited  and 
ghocked  by  the  least  noise.     Nor  is  the 
language  it  speaks  by  any  means  so  in- 
telligible as  that  which  is  ut'iered  by 
that  polished,   deep-toned,  ornamental 
appendage  of  the  hall-door,  the  good  old 
brass  knocker.     At  the  same  time  that 
that  intelligent  watchman  gave   notice 
of  an  application  for  admission,  it  desig- 
nated the  quality  and  sometimes  the 
errand  of  the  \!i8itor.     A  timid,  single 
beat  bespoke  the  beggar,  whose  impa- 
tience was   very   humanely  allowed  to 
ioool  while  he  was  studying  the  form 
iof  his  petition.     A  stout,  bold,  single 
I  blow,  announced   a  footman,  who  was 
J  immediately  admitted  for   the  mutual 
I  privilege  of  an  interesting  gossip.     An 
I  awkward,  feeble  double  knock  was  proof 
I  positive   that   a  poor  relation  or  shab- 
Iby    acquaintance    was    there;    and    a 
blow   and  reluctant   attendance  opera- 
Ited  as  a  useful  hint   to  wear    better 
[clothes,  or  carry  a  heavier  purse  in  fu- 
ture.    But  there  was  no  mistaking  the 
sledge-hammer  blows  that  made  the  door 
remble  for  its  panels,  as  it  did  at  pres- 
ent.   They  had  a  voice  of  authority,  a 
^ort  of  bear-a-hand  command,  as  sailors 

all  it  ;  their  tones  were  those  of  fash- 
Jon,  rank,  and  dignity.  They  were  well 
mderstood,  from  the  mistress,  who 
Sdgcted  uneasily  on  the  sofa  in  the 
irawing-room,  to  the  lady's-maid,  who 
^ew  from  the  servants'  snuggery  with 
Ihe  lightness  and  fleetness  of  a  fairy  to 
receive  the  Governor's  lady  and  daugh- 


ter, and  ascertain  with  her  own . 


eyes 


rhether  these  divinities  were  decorated 
irith  ermine  and  diamonds,  or  only  cat 
pd  paste,  as  she  had  heard  it  whisper- 
Id,  with  a  contemptuous  sneer,  by  her 
tonfidant  at  the  Admiralty-house. 
At  last,  the  door  flew  open  with  such 
upatient  haste  as  nearly  to  demolish  a 
kouty  foot  that  had  protruded  itself  with 


careless  ease  within  its  fearful  reach, 
and  the  servant  announced  Sir  Hercules 
and  Lady  Sampson,  Miss  Sampson- 
Lord  Edward  Dummkopf  and  the  Hon- 
orable Mr.  Trota  (the  two  aides-de-camp), 
and  Captain  Howard  (the  military  sec- 
retary). It  was  a  large  and  formidable 
party  from  one  house  ;  and  the  clatter 
of  swords,  and  jingle  of  spurs,  and  the 
glitter  of  gold  iace  and  epaulettes,  and 
the  glare  of  scarlet  cloth  and  blaze  of 
jewelry,  was  quite  overpowering  to  the 
timid  and  unaccustomed  senses  of  poor 
Mrs.  Ghanning. 

The  Governor  was  a  tall,  gaunt,  iron- 
framed  man,  with  an  erect  and  military 
bearing,  that  appeared  to  increase  a 
stature  naturally  disproportionate.  His 
head  was  bald  ;  the  Laud  of  Time,  or 
of  the  Philistine  woman  his  wife,  Laving 
removed  his  Lair,  which  gave  a  more 
striking  appearance  to  an  enormous  nose 
that  disfigured  a  face  which  would  other- 
wise have  been  called  handsome.  His 
manner  was  kind  without  condescension, 
and  his  conversation  agreeable  withovt 
humbug.  Lady  Sampson,  had  she  not 
inherited  a  large  fortune,  might  have 
been  supposed  to  have  been  selected  by 
her  husband  on  that  principle  tLat  so 
many  men  appear  to  make  cLoice  of 
their  wives,  namely,  for  being  the  very 
opposite  of  wLat  they  are  themselves. 
She  was  a  short,  but  uncommonly  stout 
person — unwieldy,  perhaps,  would  be  a 
more  appropriate  term — and  very  vulgar. 
Her  dress  was  a  curious  and  rather 
complicated  mass  of  striking  contrasts, 
which,  notwithstandiug  her  size,  awaken- 
ed the  idea  of  an  enormous  salmon-fly. 
"Rich  and  rare  were  the  gems  she 
wore,"  and  from  their  dimensions,  in  ex- 
cellent keeping  with  the  circumference 
of  her'  huge  arms  and  neck.  Her 
charms  had  been  duly  appreciated  by 
her  discerning  husband  when  on  duty 
with  his  regiment  at  BirmingLam  ;  and 
her  heart  was  besieged  with  such  mili- 
tary skill  and  ardor,  that  she  soon  sur- 
rendered herself  and  her  treasure  at  dis- 
cretion to  the  conquering  hero. 

Miss  Sampson  was  an  only  child. 
Her  glass,  and  the  admiration  of  her 
friends,  oonvinoed  her  she  was  band- 


" » 


«•! 


i-..>.  ,  ^ 


if 


THE  OLD  JUDGE:    OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


W& 


some  ;  ber  mother  had  informed  her  of 
her  large  fortune,  and  she  saw  the  sta- 
tion, and  knew  the  high  repatation  of 
her  father.  Unlike  him,  she  was  well 
proportioned  ;  and,  unlike  her  mother, 
she  was  graceful.  Her  complexion, 
which  once  boasted  of  the  pure  red  and 
white  of  England,  had  slightly  suifered 
from  the  climate  of  the  West  Indies  ; 
the  color,  like  that  of  a  portrait  of  Sir 
Joshua  Reynolds,  being  somewhat  im- 
paired. Young  and  beautiful,  it  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at  ifshe  exhibited  a  little 
of  the  pride  and  haughtiness  of  a  belle. 
She  lisped  a  little,  either  naturally  or 
affectedly,  and  "  danthed  only  with  her 
own  thett,"  or  with  a  few  officers  of  good 
&mily  belonging  to  the  "  thixty-thixth  " 
regiment,  whom  she  condescended  to 
honor  with  her  hand.  Still,  though  she 
talked  more,  perhaps,  than  was  agreeable 
to  colonial  ears  of  her  "  own  tuett,"  it 
was  evident  she  considered  herself  among 
them,  but  not  of  them  ;  for  notwith- 
standing the  rank  of  the  gentlemen  on 
her  father's  staff  was  superior  to  his  own, 
which  was  merely  local,  she  would  some- 
times speak  of  the  aides  with  a  slight 
curl  of  her  pretty  lip  as  "our  daily 
bread." 

Lord  Edward  Dummkopf  was  decid- 
edly the  handsomest  man  in  Halifax  ; 
which,  considering  that  it  contains  a  re- 
markably good-looking  population  of 
25,000  inhabitants,  three  regiments,  and 
the  officers  of  several  men-of-war,  is  be- 
stowing no  small  praise  upon  him.  He 
was  tali,  rather  slight,  graceful,  remark- 
ably well  got  up,  and  had  an  air  of  fash- 
ion and  elegance  about  him,  which  is 
alone  acquired  in  that  high  and  polished 
society  of  which  he  was  such  a  distin- 
ffuished  member.  He  had  a  beautiful 
head  of  hair,  the  value  of  which  was  evi- 
dently well  appreciated  by  the  care  be- 
stowed upon  it ;  also  a  moustache  and 
an  imperial  of  the  most  approved  form 
and  unexceptionable  color.  His  pale 
complexion  gave  ti»e  idea  of  a  poetical 
turn  of  mind.     His  forehead  was  high. 


though   rather 
ceding  ; 
defined, 
eonoavc,    which, 


narrow,  and  slightly  re- 
face  was  well 
was  somewhat 
critic,   perhaps, 


the  oval  of  his 
,   but  the  centre 
to  a 


would  suggest  the  idea  of  the  inside  of » 
spoon.    *lt  did  not,  however,  to  a  casual 
observer,    impair  its    general    beauty, 
which  was  illuminated  by  eyes  so  bright 
as  to  glisten,  and  ornamented  with  teeth 
of  unrivalled  whiteness.     With  respect 
to  his  talents,  a  physiognomist  could  be 
at  no  loss  ;  for  it  was  evident  that  the 
brilliancy  of  his  eyes  arose  from  their 
peculiar    texture,   and    not  from  that 
which  usually  produces  animation.    But 
this  secret  was  well  concealed  from  the 
world  by  his  great  reserve,  for  he  was 
seldom  heard  to  utter  any  thing  beyond 
"  How  very  good  !"  a  remark  which  every 
occurrence  elicited.     In  one  respect,  he 
evinced  a  little  humor,  by  adding  the  I 
syllable  "  bus  "   to  words — as,  dogibus,  j 
horsibus,  and  catibus.  So'distiuguished  a 
man  could  not  fail  to  have   imitators ; 
and  many  a  pretty  young  lady  was  heard  j 
to  speak  of  her  piu-a-bus,   thread-a-bus, 
and  book-a-bus,  as  Lord  Edward  says. 
Take  him  altogether,  he  was  without  a  j 
rival  for  personal  appearance,  if  we  ex- 
cept the  exquisite  drum-major  of  the  be- 1 
fore-named   "  thixty-thixth "    regiment, 
who  divided  the  empire  of  hearts  with 
the  aristocratic    lieutenant ;    the    one 
leading  captive  the  mammas  and  their 
daughters,  and  the  other  their  maids. 
On  entering  the  room  he  bowed  oonde* 
scendingly,  though  somewhat  formally, 
to  Mrs.  Ohanning  ;  the  inclination  of 
the   body  being  from  the  hip-joint  likej 
that  of  a  wooden  doll. 

The  Hon.  Mr.  Trotz,  on  the  contrary,L 
was  more  distinguished  for  a  form  that  I 
exhibited  a  singular  compound  of  I 
strength  and  activity.  He  was  the  bean 
ideal  of  a  light  infantryman.  Ho  waal 
the  boldest  rider,  the  best  swimmer,  thel 
most  expert  pugilist  and  swordsman,  atil 
irresistible  billiard-player,  and  the  besil 
shot  in  the  garrison.  His  habits  wcrel 
tsmpcratc,  which,  with  continued  andl 
systematic  exorcise,  enabled  him  to  bof 
always  ready,  or  on  hand,  as  he  called! 
it,  for  any  thing.  Ho  was  a  good  coon-f 
omist,  and  understood  how  to  miikc  th«| 
most  of  the  small  allowance  of  a  young  [ 
er  son.  Ho  sported  the  best-appointodl 
tandem  of  auv  man  in  the  place,  which[ 
ho  kept  jointly  with  acbchck  'j£ijor^ 


the  Negroes  a 
who  alone  cou 
and  were  the 
would  inquire 
the  province  f 
colony ;  and,  \ 
been  one,  wou 
he  thought  he 
effects  of  the  i 
morals  of  the 
nant  at  the  loi 
ing  conceded 
pablic  offices, ' 
cariboos ;  and 
fix  might   be 
communicatio 
supposed  to  b 
herd.     When 
was  evidently 
proceeded  dii 
his  back  to  it, 
him  to  warm 
tageous  positi 
take  a  cool  ai 
company,  and 
himself 

Captain  Hi 
tary,  was  a 
and  zealous 
party.  He 
and  talked  vc 
ly  of  such 
(rravc,"  '-Th 
Penitent  Thi 
"  The  Last  D 
vict."  Ho  wj 
balls  and 
assemblies  a 
pleasures  to 
were  the  plea 
capital  judge 
freely.     He  i 


ASKING  A  QOVERNpR  TO  DINE. 


29 


paid  more  than  his  share  of  the  expenses, 
m  oonsideratioD  of  being  relieved  from 
the  trouble  of  using  it.     He  had  also  a 
beautiful  and  very  fast  yacht,  which  he 
sustained  upon  the  same  friendly  and 
equitable   terms.     The  Governor,  per- 
haps, was  not  aware  how  admirably  well 
Ciuculated  he  was  to  aid  him  in  conciliat- 
ing the  affections  of  the  people ;  for,  in  his 
absence,  he  was  very  fond  of  informing  col- 
onists, for  whom  he  bad  a  profound  con- 
tempt, how  much  he  was  interested  in 
the  Negroes  and  Indians  of  Nova  Scotia, 
who  alone  could  boast  of  purity  of  blood, 
and  were  the  only  gentlemen  in  it.     He 
would  inquire,  with  an  innocent  air,  when 
the  province  first  ceased  to  be  a  penal 
colony  ;  and,  when  informed  it  had  never 
I  been  one,  would  affect  great  surprise,  as 
he  thought  he  could  trace  the  debasing 
effects  of  the  system  in  the  habits  and 
morals  of  the  people.     He  was  indig- 
nant at  the  local  rank  of  Honorable  be- 
ing conceded  to  people  filling  certain 
public  offices,  whom  he  called  honorable 
oariboos  ;  and  requested  that  that  pre- 
fix might  be  omitted  in  any  written 
communication  to  him,  lest  he  might  be 
supposed  to  belong  to  such  an  ignoble 
herd.     When  he  entered  the  room,  he 
was  evidently  suffering  from  cold,  for  he 
proceeded  directly  to  the  fire,  turned 
his  back  to  it,  and  put  his  hands  behind 
him  to  warm  them.     It  was  an  advan- 
tageous position,  as  it  enabled  him  to 
take  a  cool  and  leisurely  survey  of  the 
company,  and  to  be  seen  to  advantage 
himself 

Captain  Howard,  the  military  secre- 
tary, was  a  philanthropist,  and  a  pious 
and  zealous  member  of  the  Low  Church 
party.  He  was  a  distributor  of  tracts, 
and  talked  very  eloquently  and  learned- 
ly of  such  books  as  the  "Drunkard's 
Grave,"  "The  Sinner  Saved,"  "The 
Penitent  Thief,"  "  Prodigal  Son,"  and 
"  The  Last  Dying  Confessions  of  a  Con- 
vict" He  was  a  great  enemy  to  private 
balls  and  amusements,  and  to  public 
assemblies  and  theatres.  The  only 
pleasures  to  which  ho  was  indulgent 
were  the  pleasures  of  tho  table,  being  a 
capital  judge  of  wine,  of  which  ho  drank 
freely.     He  abhorred  beggars,  whom  ho 


threatened  to  send  to  Bridewell,  and 
orthodox  clereymon,  whom  ho  devoted 
to  a  worse  pmce.  He  disapproved  of 
indiscriminate  charity  as  encouraging 
idleness,  and  preferred  seeking  out 
objects  for  his  benevolence  to  their  ob- 
truding themselves ;  as  it  enabled  him, 
when  he  gave  a  sixpence,  to  accompany 
it  with  that  which  was  far  more  valua* 
ble,  a  long  lecture. 

Some  of  the  party,  following  the  ex- 
ample of  his  Excellency,  now  took  their 
seats ;  but  the  Governor,  who  had  sat 
down  on  a  small  ottoman  nenr  Mrs. 
Channing,  was  restless  and  uneasy.  At 
first,  he  drew  himself  a  little  further 
forward,  and  then  removed  as  far  back 
as  possible;  and,  finally,  rose  up  and 
turned  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  the  in- 
convenience he  had  experienced.  He 
immediately  exclaimed — 

"  Good  God,  I  have  killed  this  cat ! 
Was  there  ever  any  thing  so  awkward 
or  so  shocking  ?" 

Mrs.  Channing  said  the  cat  was  only 
worsted. 

"  Pardon  me,"  he  answered ;  "  I  wish 
with  all  my  heart  that  it  was  only 
worsted,  for  then  there  would  be  some 
hope  of  its  recovery  ;  but  it  is  as  dead 
as  Julius  Caesar !" 

"  I  raised  it  myself,  Sir  Hercules !" 
she  continued  ;  "  and  " 

"  0,  if  you  raised  it  yourself,  madam, 
it  must  have  been  a  pet !"  he  replied ; 
"  and  so  much  the  worse  for  me.  I  beg 
ten  thousand  pardons  !  It  is  quito 
dreadful !" 

Mrs.  Channing  explained  again — "  It 
is  only  a  bad  piece  of  work,  your  Excel- 
lency, and  I " 

"  A  very  bad  piece  of  work,  indeed !'" 
said  the  inconsolable  offender.  "  Hut 
the  truth  is,  my  eyes  have  never  recov- 
ered the  injury  they  received  in  Egypt." 

"  It  will  rise  again,  I  assure  you,  Sir 
Hercules  !     A  good  shake  " 

"  Never !  never,  my  dear  madam !" 
he  persisted.  "  Cat  though  it  be,  if  i< 
had  fifty  lives  instead  of  nine,  it  will 
never  rise  again !" 

Here  Lady  Sampson  came  to  the  res- 
cue. Taking  an  enormous  eyeglass  set 
with  brilliants  out  of  her  bosom,  sho 


*,'.•« 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


1^ 


examined  tbe  defunct  oat,  and  pro- 
nounced it  a  most  beautiful  piece  of  rug- 
work  ;  and,  on  a  nearer  inspection,  ex- 
claimed— 

"  But  where  did  you  set  those  beau- 
tiful eyes  of  yours,  my  dear  Mrs.  Ghan- 
ning  ?  and  tBose  bright  and  sharp  claws  1 
They  are  the  most  magnificent  I  ever 
saw!  I  used  to  think  my  eyes  and 
claws  perfection,  but  they  are  not  to  be 
compared  to  yours !  Where  in  the 
world  did  you  get  them  T" 

''  At  Storr  and  Mortimer's,"  replied 
the  delighted  hostess,  who  had  spent  so 
much  time  and  valuable  materials  in 
this  valuable  employment. 

Lady  Sampson  was  an  enthusiast  in 
the  art,  and  pressed  her  friend  to  accept 
a  pattern  of  a  real  Angola  cat,  which 
she  would  send  her  in  the  morning.  It 
had,  she  said,  a  splendid  tail,  like  that 
of  a  spaniel  dog  ;  and  a  bushy  tail  was, 
in  her  opinion,  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
things  in  the  world.  She  then  asked  a 
lady  who  sat  near  her  if  she  was  fond 
of  rug-work ;  but  she  said  she  was  sorry 
to  confess  her  ignorance  or  awkwardness, 
for  she  had  never  raised  but  one  vat, 
and  that  she  had  killed  in  shaving. 

"  How  very  good !"  said  Lord  Ed- 
ward ;  "  only  think  of  shaving  a  little 
catibus  I" 

But  Trotz,  who  never  lost  an  oppor- 
tunity of  being  impertinent,  asked  her 
if  it  was  the  custom  in  this  country  to 
shave  cats ;  and  observed  that  it  would  be 
a  capital  employment  for  the  young  mon- 
keys of  tbe  town,  whom  he  had  seen  gri- 
macing a  few  evenings  ago  at  a  public 
assembly  at  the  Mason's  Hall.  Lady 
Sampson,  whose  perceptions  were  none 
of  the  quickest,  very  gravely  explained 
to  him  that  shaving  a  cat  was  a  term  of 
art,  and  meant  the  close  and  uniform 
shearing  of  the  irregular  and  protruding 
ends  of  the  worsted. 

The  door  now  opened,  and  several 
persons  (not  necessary  to  enumerate  or 
describe)  were  announced,  among  whom 
were  the  Bishop  of  the  Isle  of  Sable, 
recently  arrived  from  England  on  his 
way  to  his  diocese,  and  Colonel  Percy, 
of  the  *'  thixty-thixth."  There  wa^  no- 
thing remarkable   about    the    former. 


One  bishop  is  verv  like  another  bishop. 
Their  dress  is  siinilar,  and  their  con- 
versatioD  generally  embraces  the  sama 
topics.  Tou  hear  a  little  too  much  of 
what  they  are  pleased  to  call  church 
architecture,  though  why  I  could  never 
quite  understand ;  and  you  are  somewhat 
^tigued  with  prosy  dissertations  on 
towers,  spires,  transepts,  galleries,  and 
buttresses.  This,  however,  is  a  matter  1 
of  taste,  and  they  have  as  good  a  right 
to  select  "  church  architecture  "  for  their 
hobby,  as  a  sportsman  has  his  dog  and 
his  gun.  He  was,  however,  a  new  one ; 
and  it  is  singular  that  these  novi  episcopi 
bear  a  still  more  striking  resemblance 
to  each  other  than  the  senior  class  do. 
Besides  the  never  ending  topic  just  j 
mentioned,  which  they  have  in  common 
with  all  their  brethren,  they  have  a  great  I 
deal  to  say  about  themselves — a  subject 
no  less  interesting  than  the  other.  New 
dignity,  like  a  new  coat,  is  awkward  and 
inconvenient.  It  is  stiff  and  formal, 
and  has  not  "a  natural  set."  Time 
takes  off  the  vulgar  gloss  of  both,  and 
directs  your  attention  from  things  that 
annoy  yourself,  and  are  apt  to  excite 
remark  in  others.  They  have  also  (I 
mean,  colonial  bishops)  one  grand  object 
in  view  from  the  moment  of  their  land- 
ing in  a  colony ;  and  that  is,  the  erec- 
tion of  a  cathedral  so  large  as  to  con- 
tain all  the  churchmen  of  the  province, 
and  so  expensive  as  to  exhaust  all  the  lib- 
erality of  their  friends;  and  this  unfinish- 
ed monument  of  ill-directed  zeal  they 
are  sure  to  place  in  a  situation  where  it 
can  be  of  no  use  whatever. 

His  Lordship,  Job  Sable  Island,  as 
usual,  had  his  model,  his  plans,  and  his 
subscription-list ;  and,  as  usual,  though 
warned  that  no  suitable  foundation  for 
such  a  massive  structure  could  be  found 
on  that  enormous  accumulation  of  sand, 
was  determined  to  persevere  and  exhib- 
it another  melancholy  instance  of  fail- 
ure, to  warn  the  Christian  public  how 
careful  they  should  be  into  whose  ban r^? 
they  entrust  their  donations. 

This,  as  I  have  said,  was  a  character- 
istic of  his  order;  but  there  was  one 
peculiarity  that  concerned  himself  as  a 
man,  and  entitled  him  to  my  warmest 


ASKING  A  GOVERNOR  TO  DINE. 


81 


nympathy.  He  had  no  doubt  supposed, 
when  he  left  his  native  land,  that  all  he 
would  haye  to  do  in  his  didocse  would 
be  to  discharge  the  ordinary  episcopal 
duties,  onerous  as  they  mi^t  be,  and 
responsible  as  they  undoubtedly  are, 
but  that  there  his  labors  would  end. 
lo  his  astonishment,  however,  he  had 
not  been  ten  days  in  Halifax  before  he 
found  that  he  would  have  every  thing 
to  do.  He  discovered  that  colonists, 
although  natives  of  the  country,  and 
accustomed  to  its  climate,  knew  nothing 
of  either.  They  knew  not  how  to  build 
houses,  or  to  warm  or  ventilate  them, 
to  cultivate  their  fields,  clear  the  forest, 
or  even  how  to  manage  their  own 
affairs.  With  a  zeal  that  did  his  head 
and  heart  great  honor,  he  resolved  not 
to  content  himself  with  merely  showing 
his  people  the  road  to  Heaven,  but  also 
how  to  make,  use,  and  enjoy  roads  on 
earth,  while  permitted  to  remain  there. 
But  there  was  one  consolation  to  be 
drawn  from  his  misfortunes,  and  that 
was,  that  time  would  lessen  his  labors ; 
for  ho  who  attempts  to  teach  another 
that  which  he  does  not  know  himself, 
cannot  fail  to  acquire  some  information 
in  his  endeavors  to  advance  his  pupil.* 
Colonel  Percy,  of  the  "  thixty-thixth," 


*  A  bishop  for  any  of  the  North  American 
provinces  should  in  all  cases  be  selected  from  the 
colonial  clergy,  most  of  whom  are  natives,  and 
ail  of  whom  are  well  educated ;  while  the  great 
majoritv,  I  am  happy  to  say,  are  not  only  schol- 
ars and  gentlemen,  but  pious,  laborious,  and 
most  exemplary  men.  These  persons,  from  their 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  state  of  the  country, 
the  habits,  feelings,  prejudices,  and  means  of  tlie 
people,  the  peculiar  relation  subsisting  between 
the  rector  and  his  parishioners,  and  the  Church 
and  Dissenters  in  this  part  of  the  world ;  the  ex- 
tent to  which  episcopal  authority  ought  to,  or 
can  be  pushed  with  safety,  and  many  other 
things  of  no  less  importance,  are  infinitely  better 
qualified  than  any  English  clergyman  can  possi- 
bly  be  (for  this  information  can  only  be  acquired 
from  long  experience,  and,  after  a  certain  period 
of  life,  is  very  difficult  to  be  attained  at  all).  In 
other  respects,  to  say  the  least,  they  are  quite 
equal  to  the  episcopal  specimens  we  have  been 
honored  with.  I  am  quite  aware  that,  in  high 
quarters,  where  a  better  feeling  should  exist,  and 
where  it  is  most  important  they  should  be  butter 
informed,  it  is  heresy  to  sny  colonial  clergymen 
arc  not  only  qualified,  but  they  are  the  most  auit- 
able  persons  to  fill  the  higher  offices  of  their  pro- 
fession in  their  own  country;  but  magna  est 
teritat. 


just  mentioned,  was  one  of  the  moit 
delightful  men  I  over  met;  cheerful, 
humorous,  filled  with  anecdote,  well-in- 
formed and  well-bred,  he  was,  in  reality, 
what  Miss  Sampson  called  him,  a 
"hothtinhimthelf" 

The  guests  having  now  all  arrived 
with  the  exception  of  Captain  Jones  of 
the  Navy,  Clianning  was  in  great  per- 
plexity about  ordering  dinner.  He 
would  like  to  wait  for  the  gallant  cap- 
tain, but  the  Governor  was  remarkable 
for  his  punctuality.  What  was  to  be 
done  ?  He  argued  it  over  in  his  mind, 
for  he  never  did  any  thing  without  a 
sufficient  reason.  Jones  was  notorious- 
ly the  most  absent  man  in  the  service. 
He  was  as  likely  to  forget  his  invitation 
as  to  remember  it,  and  was  sure  to 
make  some  blunder  about  the  hour; 
and  time,  tide,  and  Governors  wait  for 
no  man. 

The  dinner  was  ordered ;  and,  when 
the  folding-doors  were  opened,  Chan- 
ning,  with  a  palpitating  heart,  offered 
his  arm  to  Lady  Sampson,  and  conduct- 
ed her  to  her  place,  while  his  Excel- 
lency honored  his  better  half  in  a  simi- 
lar manner.  It  was  a  moment  of  pride 
and  pleasure  to  them  both.  They  had 
attained  a  long-cherished  object  of  am- 
bition. They  had  ''  asked  a  Governor 
to  dine,"  and  had  thereby  taken  another 
and  higher  step  in  life.  They  were  now 
people  of  "  a  certain  position."  Chan- 
ning  asked  the  bishop  to  say  grace,  but 
he  had  repeated  that  formulary  so  often 
for  "  the  squire  "  in  Kent,  when  rector, 
that,  now  he  was  a  lord  of  a  manor  him- 
self, he  was  unwilling  to  perform  the 
duty  any  longer,  .md  bowed  (or  rather 
nodded,  for  there  is  more  palpable 
meaning  in  a  nod  than  a  bow)  to  his 
chaplain,  who  was  but  too  happy  to 
gratify  his  excellent  friend  and  patron. 

The  soup  was  capital,  conversation 
became  general,  and  every  thing  seemed 
to  be  going  on  remarkably  well ;  but 
the  hostess  was  dying  with  apprehen- 
sion, for  a  critical  part  of  the  entertain- 
ment had  arrived,  the  thoughts  of 
which  had  filled  )ier  with  terror  during 
the  whole  day. 

At  the  period  I  am  epebking  of,  no 


■  V . 


*»] 


».  ^ 


Ill 


82 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I   OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


I  "It 


•  M 


I 


person  could  venture  to  give  »  Urso 
dinner-party  at  Halifax  (luob  wat  tne 
unskilfulness  of  servftnt8|  without  the 
aflsistance  of  a  profesaional  oook,  a  blaok 
woman,  whose  attendance  it  was  neoes- 
sary  to  secure  before  iflHuing  cards  of 
invitation.  Channing  had  not  forgotten 
to  take  this  wise  precaution  ;  but  the 
artiste  had  prepared  some  side-diithes, 
of  which,  though  she  knew  the  compo* 
nent  parts,  she  did  not  know  the  name. 
By  the  aid  of  a  Housewife'i  Manual^ 
Mrs.  Channing  judged  them  to  be 
"  C6telettcs  a  I'ltalienne,"  ''  Chartreuse 
d'un  Salpiqon  de  Yolaille,"  "  Boudins  h 
la  Richelieu,"  "  Quenelles  de  Voluille," 
"  Croquets."  &c..  &o.  ;  but  she  was  un- 
certain. They  were  too  difficult  to  re* 
member ;  and,  if  remembered,  unpro- 
nounceable. She  was  afraid  of  having 
her  knowledge  tested  and  her  ignorance 
exposed  by  Trotz,  who  was  noted  for 
his  malicious  impertinence,  Fortune, 
however,  favored  her,  and  she  owed  her 
escape  to  the  tact  of  a  servant,  who 
found  himself  in  a  situation  of  similar 
difficulty.  The  first  of  these  mysterious 
dishes  that  he  presented  to  the  trouble- 
some aide,  called  forth  the  dreaded  in- 
quiry, "What  is  the  name  of  it V 
Equally  ignorant  with  the  rest  of  the 
household,  he  affected  not  to  bear  the 
question,  withdrew  the  dish,  passed  on 
to  the  next  person,  atid  never  offered 
him  another  until  he  found  one  ho  knew 
by  name  as  well  as  by  sight.  The  crisis 
was  now  passed,  the  lady's  fever  in- 
stantly subsided,  and  sne  breathed 
freer.  At  the  mention  of  moose-meat, 
Lord  Edward,  to  the  astonishment  of 
every  body,  commenced  a  conversation 
himself,  a  thing  almost  unknown  before. 
He  asked  the  young  lady  who  bad 
amused  him  so  much  by  saying  she  bad 
killed  a  cat  in  shaving,  what  the  plural 
of  moose  was. 

'^  Mice,"  she  replied,  with  great  readi- 
ness. 

"  Miceibus  ! "  he  repeated,  "  How 
very  good  I"  and  relapsed  again  into 
his  usual  taciturnity. 

The  two  favorite  wines  at  Halifax  at 
that  period  were  champagne  at,  and 
Madeira  after  dinner.     Trotz  therefore, 


of  oourse,  voted  them  both  vulgar,  called 
them  kitchen  wines,  and,  when  pressed 
by  the  host  to  take  a  glass  with  hins^ 
and  asked  which  he  would  take — 

"  Any  thing  but  champagne,  sir,"  he 
said. 

Ohannins  was  shocked;  he  had  im- 
ported it  himself,  he  had  spared  no  ex- 
pense, was  a  good  judge  of  its  quality 
and  flavor,  and  he  could  not  understand 
how  it  could  be  rejected  with  such  evi- 
dent disgust.  He  prudently  asked  no 
questions,  but  smiled,  bowed,  and  talked 
to  some  one  else. 

Miss  Sampson  observed  to  the  bishop 
that  Trotz  was  like  a  "  thithle,  be 
thcratbed  tho  thockingly  I" 

Which  was  honored  with  the  usual 
remark  from  another  person,  "  How 
Terv  good !" 

Captain  Jones  now  made  his  appear- 
ance, and  a  very  odd  one  it  certainly 
was.  He  was  one  of  the  most  eccentric 
men  in  the  navy.  In  roughness  of 
manner  and  disregard  of  dress,  he  was 
of  the  old  Benbow  school ;  in  practical 
skill  and  science  he  waE  at  the  head  of 
the  modern  one.  He  was  so  dreadfully 
absent  that  he  unintentionally  said  and 
did  the  most  awkward  things  imagin- 
able ;  and  the  only  redeeming  point  in 
his  absurd  behavior  was,  that  it  was  en- 
tirely free  from  affectation.  He  was 
dressed  in  an  old  shabby  frock-coat  with 
a  pair  at  tarnished  epaulettes,  his  hands 
bore  testimony  to  their  familiarity  with 
the  rigging,  and  he  had  not  submitted 
himself  to  a  barber  for  two  days,  at 
least.  He  took  his  seat  near  me,  and 
then  for  the  first  time  appeared  to  be 
conscious  that  he  was  lute  for  dinner ; 
but  be  applied  himself  without  loss  of 
time  to  remedy  the  defect.  The  arrival 
of  such  a  man  in  such  an  attire  natural- 
ly occasioned  a  pause,  by  attracting 
every  body's  attention  to  him. 

'•  Pray,"  said  Trotz  (who  sa»  nearly 
opposite  to  us)  to  his  neighbor,  but  loud 
enough  to  bo  distinctly  heard,  "  who  is 
that  old  quiz  ?     Is  he  a  colonist  ?"  • 

"  Captain  Jones,  of  H.  M.  ship  Thun- 
derer, sir ;  very  much  at  your  service !' 
•aid  the  sailor,  with  a  very  unmistakable 
air  and  tone. 


I  :i 


ASKING  A  GOVERNOR  TO  DINE. 


38 


Trotz  quailed.     It  was  evident  that, 
I  though  a  good  shot,  he  preferred  a  tar- 
get to  an  antagonist,  and  wanted  bot- 
tom.    True  courage  is  too  noble  a  qual- 
ity to  b^  associated  with  swaggering  and 
I  insolent  airs. 

'How  vdry  goodl"  said  Lord  Ed- 
I  ward. 

"  Very,"  said  the  charming  Colonel ; 

I "  very  good,  indeed  t     He  may  be  an 

oddity,  but  he  is  a  fine  manly  old  fel- 

low ;    and  your  friend  had  better  bo 

cautious  how  he  wakes  up  that  sleeping 

I  lion." 

The  Captain  ate  heartily,  though  ra- 
jther  inconveniently  slow,  which    pro- 
tracted the  removals,  and  kept  us  all 
■  waiting.     It  was  a  matter  of  business, 
land  he  performed  it  in  silence.     Once, 
[however,  he  looked  up,  complained  there 
I  was  a  draught  in  the  room,  and,  draw-* 
ling  a  soiled  black  silk  cap  with  a  long 
Ipendent  tassel  from  his  pocket,  put  it 
Ion  his  head,  and  resumed  his  employ- 
Iment.      Although  Mrs.  Chacning  was 
■unacquainted  with  the  names  of  many 
lof  her  dishes,  there  was  one  she  rather 
Iprided  herself  upon — a  pudding,  which, 
■when  the  Governor  declined,  she  pressed 
■upon  his  attention,  saying,  that  she  had 
■made  it  herself     This  was  too  good  an 
lopportunity  for  Trotz  to  pass  unnoticed ; 
Ihe,  therefore,  begged  Miss  Sampson  to 
Ipartake  of  it,  as  the  hostess  had  made 
lit  with  her  own  hands :  laying  an  em- 
Iphasis  on  the  latter  words,  which  pro- 
Iduced,  as  he  intendea,  an  involuntary 
smile.    Channing  saw  and  winced  under 
Jthe  ridicule,  although  he  was  unable  to 
Idisoover  whether  it  was  excited  by  the 
pudding  or  his  wife.     To  make  matters 
rorse,  Captain  Jones,  whose  appetite 
ras  now  satisfied,  and  who  had  only 
beard  the  word  pudding,  to  which  he 
liaa  just,  been   helped,  added  to  their 
Qortification  by  one  of  his  blundering 
Remarks.     He  said  that  it  was  capital, 
and  that  he  had  never  tasted  but  one 
pike  it  before,  and  that  was  in  Mexico. 

"  I  went  there,"  he  said,  "  with  the 
Umiral,  to  settle  some  little  difference 
*e  had  with  the  government  of  that 
ountry,  and  the  President  asked  us  to 
line  with  him.  What  makes  me  recol- 
3 


leot  the  pudding  is,  his  wife  made  it 
herself  He  had  two  beautiful  daugh- 
ters ;  one  about  eighteen,  and  the  othei 
twenty  years  of  age,  who  were  covered 
with  jewels  of  a  size,  brilliancy,  and 
value  far  beyond  any  thing  I  ever  saw 
in  Europe.  I  asked  him  where  madam 
his  wife  was.  '  To  tell  the  truth,'  he 
replied, '  she  is  in  the  kitchen  superin- 
tending the  cookery  for  the  dinner.'  " 

The  Oovernor,  with  his  usual  tact 
and  good-nature,  turned  the  conversa- 
tion to  another  topic.  He  adverted  to 
his  recent  government  in  the  West  In- 
dies, and  was  speaking  of  some  very 
unreasonable  request  of  the  people,  the 
refusal  of  which  had  made  him  very  un- 
popular at  the  time.  Jones,  with  his 
customary  inattention,  thought  he  was 
speaking  of  some  one  else,  and  said  : — 

"  Your  friend  was  a  devilish  lucky 
fellow,  then,  that  they  did  not  serve 
him  as  I  once  saw  the  Chinese  punish 
one  of  their  gods.  They  had  been 
praying  to  him  for  rain  for  thirty  days, 
and  at  the  end  of  that  period,  seeing  no 
appearance  of  a  shower,  they  sent  three 
of  their  mandarins  to  him  and  gave  him 
a  sound  drubbing.  Indeed,  it  is  a  won- 
der that  they  did  "^ot  Lynch  him,  as 
thoy  did  the  Governor  of  Antigua  in 
1710.  Colonel  Park  having  rendered 
himaelf  extremely  obnoxious,  the  whole 
white  population  rebelled,  and,  besieg- 
ing his  house,  put  him  to  death,  and 
killed  and  wounded  thirty-six  people 
whom  he  had  assembled  for  his  de- 
fence."* 

'^How  very  good!"  said  Lord  Ed- 
ward. 

Jones,  to  whom  this  remai  k  had  been 
several  times  applied,  was  somewhat  in 


*  The  Governor,  Ensign  Lyndon,  and  thirteen 
or  fourteen  soldiers,  were  killed  on  this  oi  casion ; 
and  Captain  Newel,  Lieutenant  Wortiiineton, 
and  twenty-six  soldiers,  wounded  ;  b(gi(fes  a 
number  of  the  Governor's  friends,  who  were 
dreadfully  beaten  and  bruised.  On  the  part  of 
the  assailants.  Captain  Piggot  and  thi  ty-two 
persons  were  killed  or  wounded.  In  the  thirty- 
sixth  volume  of  the  "  Universal  History  '  (part 
Modern),  page  276,  a  full  account  is  given  of  ihia 
atrocious  at^ir ;  it  is  alio  to  be  found  in  fryuBt 
Edward's  "  History  of  the  West  Indies."  dttt 
the  least  extraordinary  part  la.  that  no  one  ir*V 
punished  for  iu 


.•3 


L'  *• 


nr 


THE  OLD   JUDGE  {   OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


(in 


doubt  as  to  iti  equiyooal  meaning.  He 
had  already  repressed  the  insolence  of 
one  aide-de  camp,  and  was  quite  pre- 
pared to  avenge  that  of  the  other. 

"  Gad,  sir,"  he  replied,  "  you  would 
not  have  thought  it  so  very  good  if  you 
had  been  there,  I  can  tell  you,  for  they 
hung  his  staff  also  I" 

Then  turning  to  me,  he  said,  in  an 
under  tone — 

''Who  is  that  gentleman  opposite, 
who  did  me  the  honor  to  call  me  an  old 
quiz,  for  I  intend  to  have  the  pleasure 
of  making  his  acquaintance  to-mor- 
row?" 

"  T-r-o-t-z,"  I  said,  spelling  his  name, 
80  that  the  familiar  sound  might  not 
strike  his  ear. 

"  Trotz  I  Trotz !"  he  slowly  repeated ; 
"  does  he  enjoy  the  title  of  honorable  ?" 

On  my  answering  in  the  affirmative, 
he  remarked — 

"I  know  him  I  he  is  a  son  of  that  old 
scoundrel.  Lord  Shoreditob,  who  sold 
his  party  and  his  reputation  for  a  peer- 
age, and  the  contempt  of  all  mankind  I 
The  reptile  is  beneath  my  notice  I" 

Here  there  was  a  pause.  To  use  the 
expressive  language  of  the  country, 
there  was  a  thaw;  the  sleighing  had 
gone,  and  we  had  stuck  in  the  mud, 
when  an  old  servant  of  Channing's  en- 
tered the  dining-room,  and,  holding  the 
door  in  his  hand,  either  confounded  at 
the  sight  of  such  an  unusual  party,  or 
waiting  to  catch  the  eye  of  his  mistress, 
hesitated  awhile,  and  then  said,  in  a 
loud  voice : — 

"Bears  has  no  tails,  ma'am!"  and 
very  deliberately  retired. 

There  was  something  so  comical  in 
this  unconnected  and  apparently  useless 
piece  of  information  that  laughter  was 
irresistible.  As  soon  as  any  one  could 
be  heard,  Mrs.  Channing,  with  more 
coolness  and  self-possession  than  I  had 
given  her  credit  for,  explained  that  as 
all  sleighs  were  covered  with  furs,  and 
of  late  decorated  with  the  tails  of  foxes 
and  other  animals,  she  had  thought  in 
her  simplicity  that  bears'  tails  would 
admirably  contrast  with  the  gray  wolf- 
skins with  which  her  sleigh  was  clothed, 
and  for  that  purpose  had  sent  the  groom 


for  a  furrier  to  procure  some,  whieb 
caused  this  communication  that  "  bean 
has  no  tails."  Having  extricated  her 
self  so  well  from  this  awkward  affair 
she  rose  and  retired,  accompanied  bj 
Lady  Sampson  and  the  rest  of  the  faii 
sex.  As  soon  as  we  had  resumed  our 
seats,  the  Oovernor  started  as  a  topis 
of  conversation  the  great  improvement 
that  had  taken  place  of  late  years  in 
the  soldier's  dress.  He  spoke  of  the 
inconvenient  practice  of  using  soap  and 
flour  on  the  hair ;  of  their  absurd  and 
useless  queues ;  of  their  troublesome 
breeches  and  long  gaiters,  the  care  of 
which  occupied  the  time  and  destroyed 
the  comfort  of  the  men,  all  which  he 
illustrated  by  amusing  anecdotes  of  the 
olden  time. 

"I  quite  agree  with  you,  sir,"  said 
Captain  Jones ;  "  but  there  is  great  | 
room  for  improvement  yet,  eapeoially  ic 
the  dress  of  the  medical  men  of  tie  I 
army.  What  a  monstrous  absurdity  it 
is  to  put  these  people  in  the  uniform  of 
soldiers,  who  have  no  fighting  whatever  I 
to  do,  and  whose  arms  and  accoutre- 
ments are  emblems  of  a  service  they 
never  perform !  If  it  is  necessary  for 
the  sake  of  appearance  thtt  they  should 
be  habited  like  other  ofi  ;rs,  I  would 
make  their  dress  subset  vicnt  to  the| 
objects  of  their  profession.  For  in- 
stance, I  would  have  the  gold  band  that  I 
goes  down  the  seam  of  their  trowsers  to 
be  gilt  strips  of  diachylon  plaster ;  their 
spurs  should  contain  lancets  ;  their  | 
scabbard  a  case  of  instruments  instead 
of  a  sword,  the  handle  of  which  should 
be  a  pliable  syringe.  I  would  give 
them  a  sabertash,  and  fill  it  with  splints 
and  bandages  ;  their  sword-bcIt  should 
be  so  constructed  as  to  be  made  useful 
as  a  tourniquet,  and  their  sash  as  a 
sling  for  a  wounded  arm.  They  might 
also  have  a  cartouche-box,  filled  with 
opiates,  pills,  and  styptics;  while  the 
cushion  of  the  epaulette  might  be  com- 
posed of  blisters  and  strengthening 
plasters.  They  would  then  be  always 
ready  for  immediate  service,  and  would 
be  provided  on  the  spot  for  every  emer- 
gency. I  cannot  conceive  any  thing 
more  perfect  than  this    arrangement 


ASKING  A  GOVERNOR  TO  DINE. 


M 


With  his  library  in  his  head,  and  his 
dispensary  in  his  clothes,  what  more 
efficient  man  would  there  be  in  the  ser- 
vice than  a  military  surgeon  1" 

This  very  droll  suggestion  put  every 
one  in  good  humor,  and  was  followed  by 
■ome  capital  stories  from  the  Colonel ; 
antil  the  Governor  having  passed  the 
wine  (for  he  was  the  first  that  curtailed 
the  period  spent  over  tho  bottle),  Ghan- 
ning  propoced  that  we  should  join  the 
ladies  in  tho  drawing-room.  The  din- 
ner bad  been  a  good  one,  though  rather 
too  abundant ;  and  the  cook  had  intro- 
duced some  dishes  of  her  own  that  were 
new  to  the  Government  House  party, 
and  occasioned  remarks  that  annoyed 
poor  Channing  excessively.  Among 
these  was  one  containing  a  number  of 
Htnall  buked  pears,  the  long  and  slender 
etalks  of  which  were  bent  backward  and 
extended  tho  whole  length  of  the  fruit. 
Lord  Edward  had  asked  permission  to 
help  Miss  1^  mpson  to  one  of  these 
baked  mice,  as  he  called  them,  to  which 
they  certainly  bore  a  very  striking  re- 
semblance. 

"  Mithibus  I  0  t  you  I  thocking  ! 
quitho  I"  was  her  reply. 

Notwithstanding  this  and  other  morti- 
fications that  he  had  endured,  Channing 
was,  on  the  whole,  elated  and  pleased. 
He  knew  that  a  man  who  steps  out  of  his 
proper  sphere  in  life  must  inevitably 
provoke  ridicule,  and  although  good 
breeding  may  suppress  it  in  his  presence, 
it  cannot  fail  to  find  vent  at  his  expense 
afterwards.  He  remained  behind  in  the 
dining-room  a  few  minutes.  His  prop- 
erty had  been  acquired  by  care  and 
economy,  and  could  only  be  preserved 
by  the  same  means.  He  was  now  en- 
abled to  be  liberal,  but  liberality  does 
not  necessarily  include  extravagance  ; 
he  therefore  locked  up  the  wine  and  the 
dessert,  and  then  followed  his  guests  in- 
to the  drawing-room. 

Here  the  attention  of  the  company 
was  engrossed  by  a  beautiful  and  pre- 
cocious little  boy,  the  child  of  his  eldest 
daughter,  who  was  then  living  at  l^er- 
muda  with  her  husband.  The  moment 
he  saw  his  grandfather  (which  word  he 
bad  abbreviated  into  Danny),  he  ran  up 


to  him,  and  claimed  the  reward  of  hii 
good  behavior.  It  was  evident  he  had 
been  drilled  and  bribed  into  silence  up- 
on the  subject  of  tho  defect  in  the  face 
of  Sir  Hercules,  for  he  said — 

"  Danny,  give  me  the  orange  you 
promised  me,  for  I  did  not  say  the  Gov* 
ernor  had  a  great  big  nose." 

Even  the  terror  of  his  relatives  and 
the  politeness  of  the  company  were 
overcome  by  the  absurdity  of  this  re- 
mark. Every  one  laughed,  and  among 
the  reat  none  more  heartily  and  good- 
naturedly  than  his  excellency  himself 

"  Come  here,  my  little  man,"  be  said  ; 
"  it  is  a  very  big  nose,  a  very  big  nose, 
indeed :  but  it  has  had  too  many  jokes 
cracked  upon  it  not  to  be  able  to  bear 
another  from  such  a  pretty  little  boy  as 
you." 

As  the  Governor  advanced  the  little 
fellow  receded,  until  his  progress  was 
stopped  by  the  corner  of  the  room.  His 
terror  now  became  insupportable,  and 
he  called  to  his  grandfather  for  assis- 
tance. 

''  Kick  him,  Danny  I"  shouted  the 
child.  "  Throw  a  stone  at  him,  Danny  1 
Make  the  dog  bite  him,  Danny  !" 

He  then  threw  himself  on  the  floor,  and 
kicked,  and  screamed  most  furiously, 
until  he  was  carried  out  of  the  room  by 
the  nurse. 

"  How  very  good  !"  said  Lord  Ed- 
ward. 

«  Capital,  by  Jove  !"  said  Trota. 

But  Miss  Sampson,  knowing  the  un- 
fortunate «ause  of  it  all,  thought "  it  wath 
thocking." 

Ludy  Sampson,  who  prided  herself 
upon  her  singing  (as  every  one  does 
upon  what  they  cannot  do),  was  now  in- 
duced to  take  a  seat  at  the  piano  and 
favor  the  company  with  a  song,  which 
she  executed,  if  not  to  the  delight  of  all 
present  (for  her  voice  was  very  false), 
at  least  to  her  own  c!:;tire  satisfaction. 
I  have  often  observed,  that  most  people, 
however  pleased  they  may  be  with  them- 
selves and  their  own  personal  appear- 
ance, prefer  to  sing  of  beings  and  char- 
acters wholly  different.  A  pale,  con- 
sumptive, diminutive-looking  little  man, 
delights  in  the  loud  and  rough  song  of  a 


^. 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


tn 


I 


MUor  or  pinte,  that  ipeaks  of  thunder, 
and  forked  lightning,  and  mountain 
wayes.  A  grenadier-sort  of  person  idol- 
izes little  Oupid,  and  wishes  to  be 
thought  to  resemble  him.  If  asked  for 
a  song,  he  begins — 

I'm  the  Cupid  of  flowert—     * 

A  merry,  Ught  thing (  '  f. 

I'm  lord  of  these  bowers,     ,,. ,  ,    .^-, 

And  rule  like  a  king. 
There  is  not  a  leaf  '   ' 

Ever  thrilled  with  th«  smart     - 
Of  Love's  pleasant  grief, 

But  was  shot  through  the  heart 
Bj  me — by  me — little  ntiischievous  sprite. 
Kindling  a  love-match  is  all  my  delight. 

Stout  and  well-deToloped  women 
warble  of  elfs,  sylphs,  and  beings  of 
aerial  lightness. 

The  Governor's  lady,  under  the  influ- 
•nce  of  this  inscrutable  law,  sang — 

Thine  ear  I  will  enchant, 
Or,  like  a  /atry,  trip  upon  the  green— 

and  one  or  two  others  of  a  like  nature, 
and  was  loudly  applauded  ;  for  a  little 
gubernatorial  circle  at  Halifax  has  its 
courtiers  and  parasites  as  well  as  that 
of  the  Tuileries  or  Buckingham  Palace. 
After  this  magnificent  display  of  taste 
and  talent,  Miss  Sampson  followed  the 
great  enchantress.  She  would  have 
liked  to  have  sung  Italian,  as  most 
youne  ladies  do  who  neither  understand 
the  language  nor  know  the  pronunci- 
ation, for  they  very  properly  imagine 
they  oan  give  a  greater  effect  to  it  on 
that  account,  and,  besides,  there  is  some- 
thing beautifully  mystical  in  the  strains 
of  an  unknown  tongue ;  but  Lord  Ed- 
ward was  a  judge  of  music,  and  always 
applauded  her  singing :  she  therefore 
appealed  to  him  to  select  a  song  for  her. 

"  0,  that  charming  little  songibus," 
he  said,  "  you  sing  so  sweetly,  so  di- 
vinely. It  begins,  '  Sing  me  those  gen- 
tle strains  again.'  " 

Sweetly  and  divinely  are  strong  but 
most  agreeable  words  when  applied  to 
one's  voice.  She  was  pleased,  and  con- 
soled for  having  given  up  the  horrid 
Italian,  and  began,  ''Thing  me  tbotbe 
gentle  thtrains  again."  With  the  ex- 
ception of  the  air  of  absurdity  given  to 
it  Dv  lisping,  she  sung  it  tolerably  well, 
for  ladies  generally  do  well  when  they 
are  pleased. 


**  How  very  good  I"  said  his  Lordship, 
**  Thank  you,  thank  you — it  is  exquisite ; 
but  there  is  a  beautiful  little  songibui 
called  '  Sing  mo  those  strains  again.'  I 
Would  you  favor  us  with  that  ?" 

Miss  Sampson  looked  at  him  to  see  I 
what  he  meant,  but,  alas,  the  unalterable  I 
face  told  no  tales  I  Cold,  and  bright 
like  moonlieht,  it  wore  its  usual  calio 
and  interesting  expression.  Still  it  was 
very  odd,  she  had  just  sung  it ;  but  then 
he  always  expressed  himself  oddly. 
Was  ho  quizzing  her,  or  was  he  really  so 
pleased  as  to  desire  to  hear  it  repeated  ? 
Sweet-tempered  young  ladies,  like  Misg 
Sampson,  generally  adopt  that  interpre- 
tation where  they  can  that  is  most  agree- 
able to  their  wishes ;  and  she  sung  it 
over  again  in  her  best  manner,  and  with 
very  good  effect. 

"  How  very  good !"  he  said,  approv- 
ingly ;  "  but,  ah,  pray  don't  leave  us  yet ! 
It  is  quite  refreshing  to  hear  such 
sounds.  There  is  a  little  songibus  I 
think  I  heard  you  once  sing  ;  it  is  a 
beautiful  thing." 

"  What  is  it  ?"  said  the  deliehted  fair 
one,  looking  up  at  her  gallant  and 
charming  friend,  and  at  the  same  time 
executing  a  chromatic  run  on  the  piano, 
"What  is  it?" 

'^  Perhaps  I  oan  recollect  it.  It  be- 
gins, '  Sing  me  those  gentle  strains 
again.' " 

Her  eyes  became  suddenly  dim,  there 
was  a  total  eclipse  of  those  beautiful 
orbs,  and  for  a  moment  she  was  in  utter 
darkness,  she  was  so  near  fainting. 
There  could  be  no  mistake  now,  he  had 
not  heard  a  word  of  it ;  and  was  so  com- 
pletely absorbed  in  contemplating  him- 
self in  a  large  mirror,  that  he  had  even 
forgotten  the  phrase  of  unmeaning  com- 
pliment he  had  so  mechanically  used. 
Exerting  herself  to  conceal  her  vexation, 
she  rose  and  returned  to  her  seat.  This 
ainful  disclosure  of  total  indifference 
ad  dissolved  in  an  instant  some  little 
airy  fabrics  her  imagination  had  -been 
rearing  during  the  past  year  ;  and  what 
rendered  it  the  more  provoking  was,  that 
the  slight  was  offered  in  public,  and  by 
one  of  her  own  "  thett." 

The   Bishop,  meanwhile,  had  takea 


C; 


ASKING    A  GOVERNOR  TO  DINE. 


87 


but  little  part  in  the  oonyersation.  The 
topics  wore  new  to  him,  and  he  was 
thrown  out.  Now  be  made  an  effort  to 
draw  it  towards  the  sabjeots  that  filled 
his  heart,  namely,  himself  and  his  pro- 
jects. He  described  the  agreeable  voy- 
age he  had  made  with  Captain  Jouc» 
from  England,  extolled  his  kindness  in 
offering  to  land  him  at  the  Isle  of  Sablf^. 
and  expressed  his  wonder  that  olerg  .  ■ 
men  should  in  general  be  so  unpopular 
with  sailors. 

"  I  will  tell  your  Lordship,"  said  the 
Captain.  "  I  am  inclined  to  think,  al- 
though you  are  better  informed  on  these 
subjects  than  I  am,  that  Jonah  must 
have  been  a  very  troublesome  passenger 
before  such  good-natured  fellows  as  sea- 
men would  have  handled  him  so  roughly 
as  to  throw  him  overboard.  But,  talk- 
ing of  the  Isle  of  Sable,  reminds  mo  of 
what  I  ought  to  have  mentioned  to  your 
Lordship  before,  that  we  sail  for  that 
charming  little  island — that  Paradise  of 
the  Gulf  Stream,  that  scene  of  primitive 
innocence,  to-night,  at  eleven  o'clock. 
If  you  will  be  on  the  King's  Wharf  at 
half-past  ten,  sharp,  with  your  traps.  I 
will  have  some  of  my  'little  lambs'  there 
to  attend  you.  I  will  answer  for  their 
being  there  at  that  moment,  for  they 
know  I  am  the  most  punctual  man  in 
the  world." 
•  The  Bishop  was  disconcerted.  It  was 
a  short  notice — too  short,  indeed,  to  be 
at  all  agreeable  ;  but  eccentricity  knows 
no  limits,  and  recognizes  no  laws :  so, 
making  the  best  of  it,  he  departed  with 
his  friend,  who  took  his  leave  contrary 
to  all  colonial  etiquette,  which  restrains 
any  one  from  retiring  until  the  Gover- 
nor sets  the  example. 

"  What  a  very  odd  man  Captain  Jones 
is  I"  said  his  Excellency. 

" Very,"  replied  the  Colonel;  "but, 
at  the  same  time,  he  is  one  of  the  most 
valuable  officers  in  the  service^  although 
I  confess  his  indulgence  to  his  men  is 
sometimes  very  perplexing  to  his  friends. 
He  is  an  exact  and  rigid  disciplinarian, 
but  shows  them  every  kindness  compat- 
ible with  a  strict  observance  of  duty. 
He  calls  them  '  his  lambs,'  and  they  are 
allowed  to  come  on  shore  in  very  large 


parties,  and  have  got  up  a  very  pretty 
quarrel   with    my  fellows.     Sometimes 
tlio  soldiers  charge  them,  and  drive  them 
into  their  boats,  hut  oftoner  they  have 
the  best  of  it  themselves;  yet,  in  all 
cases,  he  complains  that  those  dare-devils 
(his  lambs)  have  a  hard  time  of  it,  and 
are  ill  used.     Eccentricity  is  often  the 
accompaniment  of  great  talent,  and  that 
is  the  reason  so  many  blockheads  affect 
it.     His,  however,  is  genuine,  although 
he  is  not  to  be  compared,  in  that  respect, 
with  a  gentleman  of  my  acquaintance  in 
one  of  the  adjoining  provinces.     I  took 
shelter  from  a  thuudur-Khower  one  day 
in  a  country  inn,  to  which  others  had 
fled  for  the  same  purpose,  and,  among 
the  rest,  one  of  the  must  eminent  men 
of  the  bar  of  the  colony.     Every  one 
was  tired  and  bored  to  death  by  the 
continuance  of  the  rain,  but  he  was  at 
no  loss  for  amusement.     Ho  made  a 
small  bow  of  whalebone,  and,  procuring 
a  large  needle  (which  the  landlady  called 
a  darning-needle),  for  an  arrow,  he  put 
on  a  pair  of  spectacles,  and  commenced 
shooting  mosquitoes,  as  they  flew  by  or 
about  him,  to  the  great  danger  and  in- 
finite annoyance  of  every  one  in   the 
house.     I  never  saw  a  more  eager  sports- 
man, or  one  more  delighted  when  he 
made  a  good  shot.     His  shouts  of  laugh- 
ter came  from  his  very  heart." 

Here  the  conversation  was  enlivened 
by  a  very  absurd  incident.  Among  the 
guests  was  a  rough  old  Commissary- 
General,  who  was  exceedingly  deaf  A 
merchant,  a  vulgar  acquaintance  of  Chan- 
ning,  taking  pity  on  his  infirmity,  sat 
down  beside  him  for  the  purpose  of  talk- 
ing to  him.  The  old  gentleman,  taking 
up  his  trumpet,  asked  hi?  friend  why 
his  wife  was  not  of  the  party. 

"  One  of  'our  brats'  is  ill,"  replied 
the  merchant. 

"  Then  I  know  how  to  pity  you,"  said 
the  Commissary.  "  They  are  a  great 
nuisance  ;  I  am  plagued  to  death  with 
them,  I  have  so  many." 

"It  has  the  croup,"  answered  the 
other,  raising  h  s  voice. 

'•AcoopI"  replied  the  deaf  man;  '-that 
isnot  abad  idea,  if  you  could  only  manage 
to  coax  them  into  it,  but  I  never  could." 


*!(.' 


i    -V, 


r*  ■■!' 


I'll 
t 

it* 

if 
ii  ■ 


88 


THE  OLD  JUDGE ;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


H.tf 


:|!1 


'(»|l*i'. 


II- 


I 


"They  have  nearly  eat  me  out  of 
house  and  home." 

"  How  shocking  !  said  the  other,  in 
great  amazement.  "  Shocking,  sir !"  he 
continued,  becoming  animated  with  his 
subject:  ''there  never  was  any  thing 
like  it  in  the  world.  But  I'll  tell  you 
how  to  get  rid  of  them  quietly.  Don't 
use  arsenic,  because  you  might  poison 
yourself,  but  steep  some  bread  in  prussic 
acid,  and  give  them  as  much  of  that  as 
ihey  can  eat,  and  you  will  soon  find  a 
difference  in  your  baker's  and  butcher's 
bill,  I  can  tell  you." 

"  What  in  the  world,"  asked  the  mer- 
chant, with  unfeigned  astonishment, 
"are  you  talking  of?" 

"  Kats,  to  be  sure,"  was  the  answer. 

"And  I  was  telling  you,"  rejoined 
the  other,  slowly,  distinctly,  and  loudly, 
"  that  one  of  my  children  had  the  croup." 

The  effect  was  electrical ;  every  body 
was  convulsed,  except  the  unruffled  aide- 
de-camp,  who  contented  himself  with 
merely  observing — 

"  How  very  good !" 

Here  the  Governor's  sleighs  were  an- 
nounced, which  was  a  signal  for  tho 
breaking  up  of  the  party.  The  play 
was  now  concluded,  and  the  actors  with- 
drew to  their  homes  ;  but  there  was  an 
afterpiece  enacted  elsewhere,  the  humor 
of  which  was  broader  than  was  agree- 
able, either  to  the  host  or  his  guests. 

Channing  escorted  his  company  to  the 
hall,  where  were  deposited  their  cloaks 
and  wrappings,  but  led  the  Governor 
and  his  staff  into  his  study,  where  they 
had  disrobed.  The  door,  though  shut, 
was  not  closed  sufficiently  for  the  ac- 
tion of  the  lock,  and  pushing  it  open, 
he  found  to  his  amazement  another 
•'  thett,"  enjoying  themselves  infinitely 
more  than  that  which  had  been  assem- 
bled in  the  drawing-room.  The  black 
cook  had  belted  on  the  Governor's  sword, 
and  decorated  her  woolly  head  with  his 
military  hat  and  plumes,  which  she  wore 
jauntingly  and  saucily  on  one  side,  while 
three  black,  supernumerary  servant-men, 
who  had  been  hired  for  the  day,  having 
mounted  those  of  the  t.>  o  aides,  and  the 
military  secretary,  were  dancing  a  reel, 
with  their  arms  akimbo,  to  the  great 


amusement  of  a  boy,  who  hammed  a 
tune,  in  an  under  tone,  for  them,  and 
beat  time  with  his  fingers  on  the  crown 
of  his  master's  hat.  So  wholly  en 
grossed  were  they  with  their  agreeable 
pastime,  that  they  did  not  immediately 
notice  our  entrance.  T  shall  never  for- 
get the  appearance  of  the  cook  when  she 
first  discovered  us.  She  stood  instantly 
still  in  her  dancing  attitude,  her  feet 
widely  extended,  and  her  fists  resting 
on  her  hips,  as  if  suddenly  petrified. 
Her  eyes  enlarged  rapidly  in  size,  while 
all  the  color  fled  from  them,  and  they 
assumed  the  appearance  of  two  enor- 
mous pieces  of  chalk.  Her  mouth, 
which  was  partly  open,  exhibited  a  long 
transverse  streak  of  ivory  ;  and  the 
strong  contrast  of  black  and  white  in  her 
face  would  have  been  extremely  ludic- 
rous, had  it  not  also  been  very  fearful. 
Her  nostrils,  like  those  of  an  affrighted 
horse,  expanded  themselves  to  their  ut- 
most extent ;  and  respiration  and  ani- 
mation seemed  wholly  suspended,  when 
she  suddenly  sprang  up  from  the  floor, 
perpendicularly,  nearly  two  feet,  and 
screamed  out — 

"  Gor-ormighty  !  de  Gubbenor !" 

Instantly  the  hats  flew,  with  the  ra- 
pidity of  shuttlecocks,  on  to  the  table, 
and  the  usurpers  of  the  trappings  of 
royalty  sought  safety  in  immediate  flight. 
But  the  poor  cook,  in  her  hasty  and 
discomfited  retreat,  forgot  the  sword, 
and,  stumbling  over  it,  pitched  forward, 
and  struck  with  great  violence  against 
the  stomach  of  Trotz,  whom  she  over- 
threw in  her  fall,  and  rendered  speech- 
less from  the  weight  of  her  body,  and 
nearly  insensible  from  the  concussion 
of  his  head  against  the  marble  column 
that  supported  the  mantelpiece.  A 
shout  of  laughter  from  every  one  pre- 
sent followed  this  summerset,  in  which 
the  voice  of  the  good-natured  Governor 
w«3  most  conspicuous,  for  there  is  little 
use  in  having  aides-de-camp  living  at 
your  expense,  if  you  cannot  occasionally 
enjoy  a  joke  at  theirs.  Even  Lord  Ed- 
ward smiled  at  the  ignoble  overthrow 
of  his  coadjutor,  and  said — 

"  How  very  good  !" 

Trotz  was  seriously  injured,  and,  for 


Iiutnmed  a 
>r  them,  and 
>n  the  crown 

wholly  en 
sir  agreeable 
immediately 
vll  never  for- 
lok  when  she 
Dod  instantly 
ide,  her  feet 
fists  resting 
ly  petrified, 
in  size,  while 
fn,  and  they 
I  two  enor- 
Her  mouth, 
bited  a  long 
;    and   the 
white  in  her 
smely  ludic- 
P^ery  fearful, 
n  affrighted 
to  their  ut- 
)n  and  ani- 
nded,  when 
1  the  floor, 
>  feet,  and 

enor !" 
"th  the  ra- 
'  the  table, 
appings  of 
diate  flight. 

hasty  and 
the  sword, 
id  forward, 
ce  against 

she  over- 
ed  speech - 
body,  and 
concussion 
le  column 
)iece.  A 
'one  pre- 

in  which 
Governor 
e  is  little 
living  at 
Jasionallj 
Lord  Ed- 
ver  throw 


and,  for 


ASKING  A  GOVERNOR  TO  DINE. 


39 


iwhile,  unable  to  recover  his  breafh, 
and,  of  course,  even  to  attempt  to  rise, 
or  to  remove  the  superincumbent  weight 
of  the  unsavory  cook  ;  while  the  unfor- 
tunate and  affrighted  woman,  catching 
the  contagion  of  the  general  laugh,  was 
neized  with  hysterics,  and  grinned  hor- 
ribly ovar  the  prostrate  Tartar,  whom 
she  had  so  unwillingly  made  a  captive. 
The  first  intelligible  ejaculation  of 
Trotz  was,  that  he  was  poisoned ;  and 
he  called,  with  many  oaths  and  impre- 
cations, for  instant  aid  to  preserve  bis 
life.  This  only  excited  fresh  merriment, 
and  awakened  anew  the  almost  convul- 
sive shrieks  of  the  sable  artiste,  who, 
meanwhile,  refreshed  her  nearly  inani- 
mate victim  with  the  balmy  air  of  a 
breath  redolent  with  gin  and  raw  onions, 
with  which  she  supported  her  strength 
and  spirits  on  days  of  great  exertion 
like  the  present.  Poor  creature  I  though 
deeply  versed  in  the  mysteries  of  her 
art,  she  was  not  well  read.  Her  know- 
ledge was  derived  from  experience,  and 
not  from  books ;  and  she  knew  not  that 
Swift  bad  cautioned  cooks — 

"  But  lest  your  kissing  should  be  spoil'd, 
The  onion  must  be  throughly  boil'd." 

A  blow  on  the  ear  from  the  unmanly 
fist  of  tbe  prostrate  aide-de-camp  ope- 
rated like  a  draught  of  water  on  spas- 
modic hiccup ;  it  cured  her  hysterics 
immediately,  and  restored  ber  to  her 
senses,  liaising  herself  on  her  knees, 
which  in  ber  haste  she  planted  on  his 
stomach,  and  again  nearly  endangered 
his  life,  she  arose  and  fled  from  the 
room.  Trotz  now  managed  to  get  upon 
his  feet,  and,  putting  one  hand  to  the 
back  of  his  head,  made  the  a^^reeable 
discovery  of  a  large  contusion,  and  the 
other  to  his  hip,  was  not  less  annoyed 
to  find  a  rent  of  sufficient  size  to  admit 
of  a  far  freer  action  of  his  limbs.  The 
presence  of  the  Governor  repressed  the 
repetition  of  language  that  had  already 
shocked  the  religious  ears  of  Ghanning, 
but  he  rendered  his  indignation  quite 
int«lligible  by  signs  and  low  muttonngs. 
After  enveloping  himself  in  his  cloak, 
he  drew  out  a  cambric  handkerchief, 
and  placed  it  over  his  head,  and  then  tak- 
ing up  his  hat,  looked  at  it  and  shud- 


dered (as  a  man  laboring  under  hydro- 
phobia does  at  the  sight  of  water),  and 
arranged  it  so  that  it  should  not  con- 
taminate his  hair.  As  soon  as  tbe  Gov- 
ernor descended  the  steps  and  was  out 
of  hearing,  Trotz,  before  he  left  the  hall, 
said  Tiloud — 

''  I)ummkopf,  this  is  too  bad  t  If  tbe 
Governor  chooses  to  perform  a  part  in 
the  vulgar  farce  of  High  Life  Below 
Stairs,  to  make  himself  popular,  you 
may  attend  him  if  you  like,  but  I  won't" 

"  How  very  good !"  were  the  last 
words  of  the  party  heard  within  the 
walls  of  tbe  mansion  that  night. 

Ghanning,  though  he  could  not  help 
laughing  at  the  absurd  scene  in  the 
study,  was  hurt  and  mortified  at  the 
occurrence.  He  felt  that  it  might  be 
told  to  his  disadvantage,  and  subject 
him  to  ridicule ;  but  be  consoled  him- 
self with  the  reflection  that  it  was  one 
for  which  he  was  not  answerable,  and 
might  have  happened  any  where  else. 
It  was  also  a  comfort  to  him  to  think 
that  Trotz  was  the  only  man  injured  by 
it,  and  that  it  might  be  considered  not 
an  inapt  retribution  for  his  insolence. 
On  the  whole,  he  was  gratified,  not  at 
the  occurrences  of  the  day,  but  that  the 
day  was  over,  and  an  important  object 
gained,  and  a  di.sagreeable  duty  per- 
formed. He  knew  that  be  who  passes 
securely  over  the  shoals  and  the  alarm- 
ing eddies  of  a  rapid  and  dangerous 
river,  has  more  reason  to  rejoice  at  his 
safety,  than  grieve  over  any  little  dam- 
age bis  bark  may  have  sustained. 

He  therefore  returned  to  the  drawing- 
room  with  a  cheerful  face.  Both  him- 
self and  his  wife  breathed  freer,  like 
people  relieved  from  the  weight  of  an 
oppressive  burden.  Patting  bis  wife 
affectionately  on  her  shoulder,  bo  said — 
"  Well,  Betsy,  notwithstanding  some 
blunders  and  mistakes,  I  think  it  went 
off  very  well,  on  the  whole,  as  lawyer 
Reynard  said,  when  he  returned  from 
the  funeral  of  his  wife."  Then,  passing 
his  arm  round  her  waist,  he  observed  to 
me  (whom  he  had  requested  to  remain), 

''  Doesn't  she  look  well  to-night,  Bar- 
clay ?  I  never  saw  ber  look  better 
since  the  day  we  first " 

■'Don't    talk  foolivbly,  Ghanning t" 


m 


*-^f» 


40 


THE  OLD  JUDOE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


mi 

Mil!  s 


i. 'i  ■'!•• 


it 


said  his  partner,  disengaging  herself 
from  his  embrace,  but  looking  veil 
pleased  with  the  compliment  (for  ladies 
of  a  certain  age  never  bear  with  indiffer- 
ence that  time  has  dealt  leniently  with 
their  charms).  "  Don't  talk  foolishly ! 
I  am  afraid  you  have  taken  too  much 
wine  to-night !" 

He  then  tamed  to  me,  and  rubbing 
his  hands,  said — 

"  Well,  Barclay,  that  is  a  very  nice, 
Bcnsible,  affable  old  man,  the  Governor. 
Is  he  not  ?  What  do  you  think  of  Lord 
Edward  Dummkopf  ?" 

« I  think,"  I  replied,  "  that  there  is 
an  uncommon  affinity  between  himself 
and  his  name.  He  belongs  to  one  of 
the  oldest  families  in  England.  He  is 
of  Saxon  origin,  and  in  the  German  lan- 
guage his  name  signifies  Blockhead. 
There  is  no  harm  in  him  ;  indeed,  there 
IS  no  harm  in  an  empty  room ;  but  the 
air  is  apt  to  be  so  uncomfortably  cold, 
as  to  induce  you  to  withdraw  from  it  as 
soon  as  possible." 

"  But  Trotz  ?"  he  inquired. 

"  He,"  I  remarked,  "  is  probably  de- 
scended from  some  low  retainer  on  the 
Dummkopf  estate,  for  his  name  is  also 
Saxon,  and  signifies  Insolence.  In  the 
olden  time,  most  names  had  a  pertinent 
meaning,  and  both  these  people  seem 
to  have  inherited  the  qualities  to  which 
they  arc  indebted  for  their  ancestral 
cognomen." 

"  I  quite  agree  with  you,"  he  said, 
"  in  your  estimate  of  them ;  and  Sir 
Hercules,  I  fear,  will  add  another  name 
to  the  long  list  of  governors  whose  per- 
sonal staff  have  rendered  themselves 
and  the  Government-house  distasteful 
to  the  public.  But  come  with  me  to 
the  study,  and  let  us  have  a  glass  of 
whiskey-punch  and  a  cigar,  for  it  is  not 
often  we  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing 
you  at  Halifax." 

When  we  were  quietly  ensconced  in 
this  snuggery,  he  passed  his  hand 
slowly  and  strongly  over  his  face,  as  if 
to  repress  a  feeling  of  pain,  and  said — 

"  My  good  friend,  Barclay,  pray  do 
not  let  the  folly  of  this  day  lower  me  in 
your  estimation.  This  ,^s  no  idle  vanity 
of  eitlier  myself  or  my  wife.  I  am  con- 
teotod  with  the  sphere  in  life  in  which 


Providence  has  placed  me ;  and  am  fiul 
happier  in  it  than  I  ever  can  be  in  on«| 
for  which  I  am  not  qualified,  either  bjl 
my  talents  or  previous  habits.  But  l] 
have  acquired  a  large  property,  and  have 
an  only  son,  to  whom,  with  the  blessing 
of  God,  I  intend  to  give  as  good  an  edu- 
cation as  this  country  can  afford.  I  am 
anxious,  therefore,  to  acquire  a  certain 
position  for  his  sake,  for  which  I  am  I 
willing  to  pay  the  penalty,  the  first  pain- 
ful instalment  of  which  you  have  seen 
produced  to-day.  I  am  not  such  a 
blockhead  as  not  to  know  that  I  am 
unacquainted  with  the  modes  and  usages 
of  society,  and  that  I  ^m,  what  some 
people  have  been  so  anxious  to  inform 
me,  a  vulgar  man.  But,  thank  God," 
he  said,  rising  from  his  chair,  and  stand- 
ing with  an  erect  and  proud  bearing, 
"  I  have  also  the  good  .sense  to  know 
and  to  feel,  that  on  this  occasion,  with 
the  exception  of  the  Governor  himself, 
we  have  entertained  a  far  more  vulgar 
party  from  Government-house  than  our- 
selves." 

"  Spoken  like  yourself,  my  friend,"  I 
said ;  "and  now  for  the  punch  and  cigars." 

"  Alas  !  poor  Channing  is  since  dead, 
and  his  son,  who  inherited  his  fortune, 
inherited  also  his  sound  good  sense  and 
excellent  qualities.  His  father  fulfilled 
his  intentions  as  to  his  education,  and 
sent  him  to  King's  College,  Windsor, 
where,  under  the  paternal  instructions 
of  its  excellent  principal,*  he  was  made 
a  scholar  and  a  gentleman.  He  is  now 
one  of  the  greatest  ornaments  of  the 
bar  in  the  colony ;  and,  if  he  think 
proper  to  do  so,  can  "  ask  a  governor  to 
dine"  without  occasioning  a  remark. 


•  The  gentleinnn  here  alluded  to  is  the  Uev. 
Dr.  Porter,  who,  during  an  exile  of  thirty  years 
in  this  country,  educated  nearly  all  the  clergy  of 
this  and  the  adjoining;  colony  of  New  Brunswick, 
many  of  the  judge's,  and  most  of  the  conspicuous 
lawyers  in  l)oih  provinces,  besides  many  others, 
who  are  filling  vaiiousofliees  of  impoitancc,  here 
and  elsewhere,  with  credit  to  tliemsdlves  and 
adv.mtagc  to  the  pubhc.  He  is  still  living  near 
Exeter,  in  his  native  l.ind,  to  which  he  reiireJ 
some  few  years  ago  for  the  benefit  of  his  health, 
carrying  with  him  the  re.apect  and  esteem  of  a 
people  upon  whom  he  has  conferred  the  most  in- 
calculubla  benefit.  Should  these  lines  meet  hl« 
eye,  he  will  recojinize  the  hand  of  an  old  pupil, 
who  hopes  that  this  unauthorized  use  of  his  name 
wilt  find  a  palliation  in  the  aiTection  and  grat  tuia 
that  inserted  it. 


•  The  Lon( 
contains  a  bh 
ant  William  1 
Halifax,  Nov 
eminent  8er\ 
lions,  it  goes 
time  of  hia  di 
inly  unempla 
though  still  d 
lentlons  for  t 
which  he  wai 
of  eixty-onc, 
necessaries  o 
and  has  left  n 
lilt  (if  they  • 
lieutenant's  ' 
vtanlll" 


;  and  am  fan 
m  be  in  one  I 
ed,  either  bjfl 
bit».  Bat  I 
rty,  and  have 
the  bleasing 
good  an  edu- 
ifford.  I  am  { 
re  a  certain 
which  I  am 
be  first  pain- 
>u  have  seen 
not  such  a 
'  that  I  am 
IS  and  usages 
,  what  some 
IS  to  inform 
hank  God," 
r,  and  stand* 
ud  bearing, 
ise  to  know 
icasion,  with 
nor  himself, 
nore  yulgar 
se  thanour- 

y  friend,"  I 
and  cigars." 
since  dead, 
his  fortune, 
d  sense  and 

er  fulfilled 
cation,  and 

Windsor, 
nstructiona 

was  made 

le  is  now 
jnts  of  the 

he  think 
overnor  to 
remark. 

i?  the  Rev. 
thirty  years 
the  clergy  of 
Brunswick, 
conapiciiuus 
iiany  others, 
vtancc,  here 
isjjves  and 
living  near 
1  he  rctirei/ 
f  his  heiilth, 
esteem  of  a 
the  most  in- 
e3  meot  hi» 
n  old  pupil, 
uf  his  name 
idgrat  tuja 


THE  TOMBSTONES. 


AriTR  divine  service  yesterday,  we 
sauntered  about  the  churchyard,  exam- 
ining the  tablets  erected  by  the  affection 
or  vanity  of  the  living,  to  perpetuate  the 
virtues  or  record  the  rank  of  the  dead. 
In  this  stroll,  we  were  joined  by  Mr. 
Barclay.  He  is  one  of  a  numerous  class 
of  persons  in  these  colonies,  who,  though 
warmly  attached  to  British  connexion, 
feel  that  they  are  practically  excluded 
from  imperial  employment  and  the  hon- 
ors of  the  empire  ;  and  that  no  service 
rendered  the  Government  in  a  province 
opens  the  door  to  promotion  out  of  it, 
or  ensures  due  consideration  within  it, 
in  any  department  not  entirely  local  in 
its  object  and  management.  A  brother 
of  his,  an  officer  of  distinguished  merit, 
who,  by  accident,  had  been  enabled  to 
enter  the  naval  service  in  his  youth, 
had  recently  died  a  lieutenant  of  more 
than  forty  years'  standing.*  His  skill, 
his  unblemished  character,  and  his 
valuable  services  had  been  repeatedly 
acknowledged,  but  as  often  forgotten ; 
and  his  case,  which  had  been  much  com- 
mented upon  of  late  in  the  English  pa- 

•  The  London  Times,  of  November  8th,  1846, 
contains  a  biographical  notice  of  the  late  Lieuten- 
ant William  Pringle  Green,  R.  N.,  a  native  of 
Halifax,  Nova  Scotia.  After  enumerating  his 
eminent  services,  and  valuable  nautical  inven- 
tions, it  ^oes  on  to  say :— "  From  1842  iintil  the 
time  of  his  death,  a  few  days  since,  he  was  not 
inly  unemployed,  but  unrewarded  and  neglected, 
though  still  devoting  his  time  to  the  maturing  in- 
tentions for  the  iniprovetnent  of  that  service  in 
which  he  was  bo  ill-treated.  He  died  nt  the  age 
of  eixty-one,  more  from  the  want  of  the  common 
necessaries  of  life,  than  from  a  decay  of  nature; 
and  has  left  a  widow  and  seven  daughters  to  sub- 
•ist  (if  they  can)  upon  the  pitiful  pension  of  a 
lieutenant's  widow  — a  lieutenant  of  forty-cnt 
vtaralll" 


pers,  as  one  of  extreme  hardship,  liad 
created  great  sympathy  at  a  time  when, 
alas!  sympathy  was  unavailing.  He 
will  not,  however,  have  served  his  coun- 
try in  vain,  if  the  dreadful  sacrifice  he 
has  offered  of  a  life  of  unrequited  toil 
shall  remove  this  distinctive  badge  of 
humiliation,  and  ameliorate  the  condi- 
tion of  his  brave  and  loyal  countrymen, 
the  colonists  of  North  America. 

Disappointment  and  grief  at  the  un- 
merited neglect  of  his  broken-hearted 
brother  had  soured  a  temper  naturally 
cynical,  and  given  a  bitterness  to  Mr. 
Barclay's  language,  which  the  Judge, 
however,  assured  me  was  indicative  ra- 
ther of  his  habits  than  his  feelings.  He 
is  one  of  those  anomalous  characters  we 
sometimes  meet,  whose  sarcastic  tone 
and  manner  of  conversation  disguise  a 
kind  and  good  heart. 

"  Here,"  said  my  eccentric  friend, 
Lawyer  Barclay,  as  he  is  universally 
called,  "  here,  as  elsewhere,  the  receipt 
which  the  grave  gives  for  a  human  be- 
ing is  written  in  a  prescribed  form. 
The  name,  the  age,  and  the  date  of  his 
death,  are  minutely  and  accurately  en- 
tered. If  he  has  filled  an  office  of  im- 
portance, or  belonged  to  a  learned  pro- 
fession, or  served  in  the  Assembly,  and, 
above  all,  if  he  has  been  a  member  of 
the  Upper  House  of  the  Legislature, 
and  borne  the  title  of  Honorable,  it  is 
recorded  at  large ;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  if  he  has  derived  his  support 
from  an  honest  trade,  the  dishonest 
tombstone  refuses  to  mention  it,  lest  it 
might  wound  the  aristocratic  feelings 
of  his  aspiring  posterity. 

"  It  is  said  that  truth  is  to  be  found 


48 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;    OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


1^ 


"I. 


OH 


It  ■* 


in  the  wine-butt  and  the  depths  of  a 
well.  If  revealing  the  secrets  of  others 
be  troth,  wine  may  be  the  element  it 
loves.  The  well  can  only  give  it  when 
exhausted,  and  then  the  fact  it  has  to 
communicate  is  found  to  be  scarcely 
worth  the  trouble  of  the  search,  namely, 
that  the  well  is  empty.  Wherever  it  is 
to  be  sought  for,  one  thing  is  certain,  it 
is  not  to  be  found  on  a  tombstone.  The 
broken-hearted  husband  who  erects  a 
monument  to  record  his  inconsolable 
grief  for  the  loss  of  hi.s  wife,  ere  one 
short  year  has  passed,  or  the  sound  of 
the  sculptor's  mallet  has  ceased,  refutes 
the  pompous  falsehood  by  a  second  mar- 
riage ;  and  eyes  as  bright  and  voice  as 
sweet  as  those  that  are  closed  by  death, 
seduce  him  into  a  disavowal  of  his  own 
words, '  Here  lieth  the  best  of  wives,' 
and  compel  him  to  acknowledge  '■  Here 
the  husband  lies.'  The  disconsolate 
widow  whose  affections  are  buried  in  the 
grave  of  her  dear  husband,  near  whom 
she  desires  soon  to  repose  in  death,  feels 
her  heart  re-animated  with  the  genial 
warmth  of  returning  spring.  It  rises 
from  the  earth  with  the  primrose,  shakes 
off  its  wintry  torpor,  and  re-appears 
with  renewed  life  and  vigor  after  its 
short  seclusion.  The  admired  of  all 
admirers  no  longer  refuses  to  be  com- 
forted. The  churlish  miser  receives  the 
homage  of  insincerity  from  his  heir  even 
after  death,  when  his  cold  and  moulder- 
ing ear  can  no  longer  listen  to  its  flat- 
tering accents.  A  chaste  and  beautiful 
allegorical  figure  of  Affection  is  seen 
weeping  over  his  urn,  which  rests  on  a 
pedestal  that  resembles  a  money-chest ; 
yon  are  lost  in  doubt  whether  the  tears 
80  copiously  shed  are  caused  by  unex- 
pected legacies  to  others,  or  by  the  pro- 
tracted delay  of  possession.  This  is  a 
doable  fraud.  It  represents  the  dead 
as  worthy  of  love,  and  the  living  as  ca- 
pable of  loving.  It  is  not  gratitude,  but 
a  decent  observance  of  a  hypocritical 
custom. 

"  But  why  are  men  so  shocked  at  the 
mention  of  that  on  a  tombstone  which 
the  deceased  published  throughout  his 
life  to  all  the  world  ?  In  this  ohuroh- 
Tard,  numerous  as  the  graves  are,  no 


man  is  designated  as  tailor,  barber, 
butcherj  baker,  or  shoemaker ;  yet, 
doubtless,  there  are  scores  of  each  who 
placed  these  ominous  and  forbidden 
words  on  their  signs  in  the  largest  let- 
ters, and  the  most  attractive  and  con- 
spicuous form.  There  is,  indeed,  one 
exception,  if  such  it  can  be  called.  This 
marble  was  erected  to  a  man  who  is  de- 
scribed as  a  '  servant ;'  but  it  was  raised 
at  the  expense  of '  a  friend,'  that  styled 
himself  his  master,  who,  in  enumerating 
his  excellent  qualities,  has  not  forgotten 
to  proclaim  his  own  liberality,  nor  been 
ashamed  to  inform  us  that  he  has  ex- 
pended more  money  in  extolling  his 
services  than  in  rewarding  them.  It 
has  been  said  that  the  grave  knows  no 
distinctions.  The  rule  is  now  reversed, 
it  seems.  All  are  not  reduced  by  it  to 
a  level,  for  the  level  is  on  a  summit,  and 
all  are  elevated  to  it.  Be  it  so ;  but 
then  strike  out  all  your  degrees,  your 
D.D.s,  your  M.D.s,  the  words  Judge, 
Councillor,  Barrister,  Esquire,  and  let 
the  rank  of  the  dead  be  uniform.  Of 
all  places  in  the  world,  a  graveyard,  at 
least,  should  be  consecrated  to  truth. 
As  it  is,  it  seems  devoted  to  flattery, 
vanity,  ambition,  ostentation,  and  false- 
hood. All  sects  retain  their  peculiari- 
ties here,  and  endeavor  to  perpetuate 
them.  A  little  more  taste,  and  a  little  j 
more  expense  in  the  monument  (but 
wtth  a  contemptuous  disregard  of  vera' 
city  in  its  record),  indicate  that  a  { 
churchman  is  deposited  there  (for  the 
Church  in  the  colony  embraces  the  I 
greater  part  of  the  upper  class  of  sooi' 
ety^.  A  neat,  plain,  substantial  one,] 
with  the  modest  assurance  that  the  soul  | 
of  the  deceased  was  immediately  con- 
veyed to  heaven,  proclaims  the  saint  to  | 
have  been  a  Dissenter. 

"  The  common  Christian  emblem  of  I 
the  Cross  is  more  in  use  among  Ro- 
manists than  others,  but  you  may  iden- 
tify them  by  their  pious  horror  of  Pro- 1 
testants.  It  would  be  dangerous  to  bel 
found  in  such  bad  company,  for  the  I 
Pope  has  declared  they  cannot  be  sav-f 
ed ;  and  who  can  question  such  high  I 
authority  ?  They,  therefore,  very  wisel 
ly  lie  apart  from  the  dust  that  is  polf 


tuted  by  1 

doubt,  reat 

%  scrap  of 

It  is  an  i 

"  a  dead  h 

then,  whiol 

of  all,  sec 

found  thei 

tinctive  ba( 

highway  of 

the  church; 

usual  maun 

equipages 

the  rich,   t 

classes,  and 

less  and  uti 

colonial  pr< 

The  mitred 

condescendi 

poor  curate 

from  his   n 

quondam  la 

and  maintai 

the  society  < 

ing  boasts  o: 

and  regards 

temporary  aj 

sure.    Thee 

hearts  of  sc 

man  of  tast 

who  represe 

titles  are  a 

—the  old 

honor,  and 

and  of  rank 

«  Amid 
there  is  to 
the  antiquai 
acidity  of  tt 
one  of  those 
idly  and  fli 
dry,  but  ne 
bear  such 
anticipates 
youth   upon 
associated 
age ;   and  as 
privilege  of 
she  claims 
youth  and   1 
ere  long  thej 
of  the  law  of 
bled  in  the  d 
avenges  the 


VI 


;fl* 


THE  TOMBSTONES. 


48 


,uted  by  heresy.  If  you  are  still  in 
doubt,  read  one  of  the  inscriptions,  and 
%  scrap  of  Latin  sets  the  matter  at  rest. 
It  is  an  appropriate  tongue,  for  it  is 
"  a  dead  language."  In  this  curtilage, 
then,  which  is  the  common  burial-place 
of  i^l,  sectarianism  and  fashion  have 
found  their  way  and  o£fered  their  dis- 
tinctive badges  to  their  followers.  The 
highway  of  life  has  been  extended  into 
the  churchyard,  and  is  thronged  in  its 
usual  manner.  Here  are  the  handsome 
equipages  and  expensive  trappings  of 
the  rich,  the  sobriety  of  the  middle 
classes,  and  the  destitution  of  the  name- 
less and  unknown  poor.  The  scale  of 
colonial  precedence  survives  mortality. 
The  mitred  bishop  still  regards,  with  a 
condescending  and  patronising  air,  the 
poor  curate  ;  and  the  grocer  looks  down 
from  his  marble  monument  upon  his 
quondam  laborer  with  his  turf  covering, 
and  maintains  his  relative  position  in 
the  society  of  the  dead.  The  iron  rail- 
ing boasts  of  its  quality  and  durability, 
and  regards  with  pity  or  contempt  the 
temporary  and  trumpery  wooden  enclo- 
sure. The  classic  urn  appeals  only  to  the 
hearts  of  scholars,  and  the  bust  to  the 
man  of  taste  ;  while  all  look  up  to  him 
who  represented  his  King,  and  whose 
titles  are  almost  as  long  as  his  eulogium 
— the  old  Governor — the  fountain  of 
honor,  and  the  distributor  of  patronage 
and  of  rank. 

"Amid  all  this  vanity — here  and 
there  is  to  be  found  some  consistency — 
the  antiquated  virgin  preserves  her 
acidity  of  temper  to  the  last.  She  is 
one  of  those  of  whom  vulgar  people  so 
idly  and  flippantly  predict  ■  that  they 
dry,  but  never  die.'  Accustomed  to 
hear  such  agreeable  compliments,  she 
anticipates  the  sneer  or  the  smile  of 
youth  upon  finding  the  word  '  Miss ' 
associated  with  seventy-four  years  of 
age ;  and  as  in  life  she  maintained  the 
privilege  of  the  last  word,  so  in  death 
she  claims  a  right  to  the  first;  and 
youth  and  beauty  are  admonished  that 
ere  long  they  must  undergo  the  penalty 
of  the  law  of  their  nature,  and  be  hum- 
bled in  the  dust  like  herself.  She  thus 
avenges  the  slights  and  injuries  of  an 


unfeeling  world,  and,  consistent  to  the 
last,  evinces  her  fondness  for  disagree- 
able truths, 

"  The  houses  of  this  silent  city  are  of 
various  sizes.  There  are  fashionable 
squares,  there  are  streets  of  less  preten- 
sion, and  there  are  suburbs  that  are  but 
little  frequented,  for  they  arc  the  abodes 
of  the  lower  orders.  If  you  must  dwell 
among  the  latter,  it  would  be  best  to 
preserve  a  strict  incognito.  A  mansion 
in  St.  Giles's  would  prove  your  habits 
to  have  been  dissolute,  your  associates 
depraved,  and  your  means  exhausted. 
It  would  disgrace  your  posterity  for 
ever.  A  respectable  address  is  a  letter 
of  credit,  but  the  occupant  of  mean 
lodgings  is  cut  by  his  acquaintance  and 
disowned  by  his  family.  If  you  would 
be  regarded  as  a  gentleman,  you  must 
associate  with  fashionable  people,  and 
reside  among  them.  The  churchyard, 
strange  as  it  may  seem,  is  a  true  but 
painful  picture  of  life — ostentation  with- 
out, corruption  within  ;  peace  and  quiet 
on  the  surface,  but  the  worm  at  the 
heart.  Ah,  poor  human  nature  I  your 
last  resting-place,  the  grave,  would  bo 
eloquent  if  you  did  not  stifle  its  voice. 
Do  not  read  these  inscriptions,  my 
friend,"  he  continued,  "  there  is  no  de- 
pendence to  be  placed  on  any  thing  but 
the  figures ;  the  tale  they  tell  is  not 
true.  But  come  with  mo,  and  I  will 
show  you  a  grave  that  bears  that  upon 
it  that  carries  conviction  to  the  heart." 

On  a  little  mound,  in  a  distant  corner 
of  the  churchyard,  was  a  grove  of  spruce- 
trees,  enclosing  a  verdant  spot  of  small 
dimensions.  Here  was  a  solitary  grave, 
having  at  the  foot  a  common  field-stone 
to  mark  its  termination ;  and,  at  the 
head,  another  of  the  same  kind,  one  side 
of  which  was  dressed  with  a  chisel,  and 
bore  the  inscription,  "  Mary  Merton, 
1840."  The  whole  of  this  little  plat  of 
ground  was  enclosed  by  a  rough,  rustic 
railing,  having  a  small  gate  for  the  pur- 
pose of  access.  The  grave  was  not 
covered  with  sods,  but  decorated  with 
patches  of  forget-me-not  and  other  sim- 
ple flowers,  emblematical  of  the  feeling 
and  the  object  with  which  they  were 
placed  there,  and  was  encircled  by  white 


fj*  «»1 


m.^-^ 


44 


THE  OLD   JUDGE;   OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


•A\i 


»*i 


n 


roso  bushes.  At  the  upper  part  of  the 
enclosure,  but  outside  of  the  railing, 
stood  a  weeping  willow,  the  light  pend- 
ent tracery  of  which  fell  like  the  dis- 
hevelled hair  of  a  mourner  whose  head 
was  bending  over  the  body  it  loved  and 
lamented.  The  little  spot  was  kept  in 
perfect  order,  and  tended  with  the  most 
careful  neatness. 

"  There,  sir  I"  he  said, "  there  at  least, 
is  truth.  That  simple  and  natural  em- 
bellishment is  the  votive  offering  of  a 
poor  widow  to  her  only  child.  Those 
flowers  are  weeded  by  her  hands,  and 
watered  with  her  tears.  Where  is  the 
sting  of  death,  or  the  victory  of  the 
grave,  when,  like  that  little  innocent 
and  helpless  victim,  the  dead  survive 
decay,  and  rise  again  to  dwell  in  the 
hearts  and  affections  of  the  living?  It 
is  refreshing  to  see  simplicity  and  truth 
amid  so  much  that  is  false  and  unnatu- 
ral. This  is  a  strange  world.  Take 
man  individually,  and  there  is  much 
'liat  ia  good  and  amiable  in  him ;  but 
take  men  collectively,  and  they  arc  al- 
ways rapacious  or  unjust.  Parties  are 
but  combinations,  under  plausible  pre- 
tences, to  deceive  the  people;  public 
departments  are  stern  and  cruel ;  gov- 
ernments are  ungrateful ;  patronage  is 
either  blind  and  cannot  distinguish,  or 
selfish  and  capricious.  A  man*  who 
serves  his  country  with  ability  and  zeal 
is  too  apt  to  find  at  last,  to  his  cost,  that 
his  country,  like  a  corporate  body,  has 
neither  a  soul  to  think,  a  heart  to  feel, 
a  head  to  remember,  nor  a  spirit  of  lib- 
erality to  reward." 

"  Come,  come,  my  friend,"  said  the 
Judge,  well  knowing  the  cause  of  this 
biv.ter  ebullition,  "you  have  too  much 
renson  to  complain,  I  fear,  to  do  so 
calmly.  Let  us  not  enter  into  these 
speculations  on  this  day  and  in  this 
place.  Let  us  rather  yield  to  the  influ- 
ence of  the  objects  around  us.  I,  too, 
am  fond  of  this  opot  for  the  lasting  af- 
fection it  exhibits.  Fathers  laay  forget 
their  offspring,  and  children  lose  the 
remembrance  of  their  parents  ;  hus- 
bands and  wives  may  be  replaced,  and 
brothers  and  sisters  be  to  each  other  as 
strangers  and  even  as  foes,  but  the  love 


of  a  mother  endureth  for  ever.  A 
father  supplies  the  wants  of  his  child  j 
from  his  purse,  a  mother  from  he? 
bosom.  Even  the  grave  itself  cannot 
extinguish  her  devotion.  She  mourcg 
over  her  deceased  infant  in  solitude  and 
in  silence.  It  is  always  before  her.  Its 
voice  is  in  her  ear,  and  its  smile  is  in 
her  heart.  Memory  raises  up  the  little 
idol  to  her  admiring  eyes  by  day,  and 
the  too  vivid  dream  re-animates  it  by 
night.  Her  maternal  affections  regard 
it  as  a  living  being,  and  she  longs  to 
fondle  and  embrace  it,  while  the  divin- 
ity within  her  sympathizes  with  it  as 
celestial,  and  invests  it  with  the  attri- 
butes of  a  ministering  angel.  She  holds 
strange  and  mysterious  communings 
with  it,  for  love  such  as  hers  has  an 
ideal  world  of  its  own.  Her  wouuded 
spirit  flutters  against  the  barriers  of  its 
human  prison,  and  strives  to  escape  and 
join  that  which  has '  put  on  immortality ;' 
and  at  last,  when  wearied  with  its  inef- 
fectual struggles,  it  yields  in  tim'd  sub- 
mission to  the  law  of  its  nature — it  in- 
dulges the  hope  that  that  which  ia 
imperishable  may  be  permitted  to  re- 
visit the  object  of  its  love,  and  illumine, 
by  its  mystical  presence,  the  depths  of 
its  gloom.  Her  grief,  therefore,  pro- 
duces at  last  its  own  solace,  and  she  cher- 
ishes it  with  an  humble  but  a  firm  reli- 
ance upon  the  mercy  and  goodness  of  God, 
that  her  child  shall  be  fully  restored  to 
her  in  another  and  a  better  world,  where 
they  shall  dwell  together  in  unity  for 
ever. 

"  There  is  something,  as  you  saj, 
about  this  little  grave  that  is  very 
attractive;  for  youth  is  innocent,  and 
innocence  is  always  an  object  of  interest 
and  of  love.  Age,  on  the  contrary,  is 
venerable,  but  not  loveable.  I  see 
nothing  in  the  termination  of  a  ripe  old 
age  to  occasion  grief,  unless  there  has 
been  a  misspent  life.  There  is  nothing 
to  regret  where  all,  or  more,  has  been 
given  than  was  promised — 

*'  Lusisti  satis,  edisti  satis  atque  bibisii, 
TempuB  abire  tibl  est.' 

But  youth,  prematurely  cut  off,  awakeni 

many  a  painful  reflection.     I  recollect 

being  greatly  struck  with  a  monument 


erected  to 
who  peria 
oumstanct 
and  simp 
ihe  rise 
melanchol 
history  of 
down  on 
ting  seat 
mortality. 
'<  Last 

Strovince,  i 
brmer  ju( 
improvemc 
my  expect 
the  road 
an  unbrok 
on  either 
fiurms;  an 
herds  of  a 
the  new  ] 
villages  w( 
improved 
changed  t 
country, 
had  undei 
better  no  '. 
Still  it  wa 
unmixed  ] 

Eassed  aw; 
usiness  a 
had  knowi 
nize :  care 
been  idle, 
the  men  hi 
died  or  wi< 
stranger  ai 
I  had  fre( 
were  eithe: 
built.  A 
me,  and  tl 
well-knowr 
heard  or  i 
the  same,  1 
gone,  and 
"  At  hoi 
dual  that  t 
The  vacan 
occupied  ] 
with  all  ai 
rated  with 
tinguished 
entire  rev 
that  revolt 


Alk#>i 


THE  TOMBSTONES. 


45 


Li  '■ 


erected  to  a  young  officer  at  Sbelburne, 
who  perished  under  very  peculiar  cir- 
oumBtances.  The  Htory  itself  is  short 
and  simple,  but,  as  it  is  connected  with 
the  rise  and  fall  of  that  ill-fated  and 
melancholy  town,  I  will  give  you  the 
history  of  both  together.  Let  us  sit 
down  on  this  tombstone,  for  it  is  a  fit- 
ting seat  from  which  to  tell  a  tale  of 
mortality. 
"  Last  summer  I  made  a  tour  of  the 

ftrovince,  and  revisited  the  scenes  of  my 
brmer  judicial  labors.  The  growth  and 
improvement  of  the  country  fur  exceeded 
my  expectations.  In  many  places  where 
the  road  ran,  a  few  years  ago,  through 
an  unbroken  forest,  it  was  now  bordered 
on  either  side  by  a  continuous  line  of 
&rms ;  and  substantial  houses  and  large 
herds  of  cattle  evinced  the  condition  of 
the  new  population.  The  towns  and 
villages  were  greatly  increased,  and  an 
improved  system  of  husbandry  had 
changed  the  whole  appearance  of  the 
country.  The  habits  of  the  people  als8 
had  undergone  an  alteration  for  the 
better  no  less  striking  and  gratifying. 
Still  it  was  by  no  means  a  journey  of 
unmixed  pleasure.  A  generation  bad 
passed  away,  if  not  from  life  from  its 
business  and  duties.  Many  whom  I 
had  known  I  could  not  at  first  recog- 
nize :  care,  time,  and  disease,  had  not 
been  idle.  The  young  had  become  men, 
the  men  had  grown  old,  and  the  old  had 
died  or  withdrawn  from  view.  I  was  a 
stranger  among  strangers.  The  houses 
I  had  frequented  during  the  circuits 
were  either  enlarged,  remodelled,  or  re- 
built. A  new  race  of  people  welcomed 
me,  and  the  well-known  voice  and  the 
well-known  face  wero  no  where  to  be 
heard  or  seen.  My  local  iutr  rest  was 
the  same,  but  my  personal  interest  had 
gone,  and  gone  for  ever. 

'■'■  At  home,  these  changes  are  bo  gra- 
dual that  they  are  almost  imperceptible. 
The  vacant  place  soon  collapses,  or  is 
occupied  by  another,  and  harmonizes 
with  all  around.  It  becomes  incorpo- 
rated with  the  rest,  and  oannot  be  dis- 
tinguished from  it.  In  this  manner,  an 
entire  revolution  is  ejfected,  and  yet 
that  revolution  is  so  slow  and  so  gradu- 


al in  its  growth,  and  contains  so  maoh 
to  which  we  are  daily  accustomed,  that 
the  eye  cannot  discern  where  the  old 
ceases  or  the  new  begins.  But,  when 
we  return  to  past  scenes,  after  an  ab- 
sence of  many  years,  the  whole  change 
bursts  on  our  astonished  view  at  once. 
We  know  it  as  it  was,  we  see  it  as  it  is, 
and  we  feel  and  know  it  is  not  the  same. 
We  are  painfully  reminded,  at  the  same 
time,  that  we  have  been  ourselves  no  loss 
under  the  influence  of  this  universal 
law  of  mutability:  we   return  to 


our 


own,  and  our  own  knoweth  us  no  more. 
The  face  of  Nature,  though  here  and 
there  partially  transformed  by  the  hand 
of  man,  was  in  the  main  unaltered. 
The  mountains,  with  their  wavy  outline 
distinctly  marked  against  the  clear  blue 
sky,  or  their  summits  enveloped  in 
mists,  were  the  same  as  when  my  youth- 
ful eye  first  rested  on  them.  The  riv- 
ers, the  valleys,  the  murmuring  brooks, 
the  wide-spread  alluvial  meadows,  cover- 
ed with  grazing  herds,  the  sheltered  and 
placid  lakes,  and  the  rugged  cliffs  and 
bold  promontories  that  invaded  the  sea, 
or  resisted  its  assaults,  were  all  un- 
changed. The  road  also  on  the  sea- 
shore wore  the  same  familiar  aspect,  and 
the  ceaseless  roar  of  the  ocean  saluted 
my  ear  with  the  same  voice  that  first 
awakened  my  adventurous  hope  to  pass 
to  that  fatherland  that  lies  beyond  the 
great  deep.  At  night,  as  I  walked  out 
meditating  on  the  past,  the  pale  silver 
moon  and  its  starry  host  proclaimed  that 
they  also  were  unchanged,  and  recalled 
many  a  long-forgotten  scene  in  years  by- 
gone, before  all  that  has  been  was,  or  re- 
flection came  to  teach  us  that  youth  has 
its  shadow,  that  increases  as  the  day  de- 
clines,  and  that  that  shadow  is  death. 
These  visible  objects  of  nature,  there- 
fore, become  dearer  and  dearer  to  us  as 
we  advance  in  years.  They  nro  our 
early,  our  constant,  and  sole  surviving 
friends,  the  same  to-day  and  to-morrow 
,  as  they  were  of  old.  They  are  typical 
of  Him  who  knoweth  no  change. 

"  As  far  as  Shelburne,  all  was  pro- 
gressive or  rapid  improvement,  but  that 
unfortunate  town  was  in  ruins.  It  arose 
in  the  wilderness  like  a  work  of  magio, 


liH.     m 


I'i 


ri  ,? 


H! 


N< 


46 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  (  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


bat  had  hardly  been  erected  beforo  it 
xraa  in  a  state  of  decay.  Twelro  or  four* 
teen  thousand  emigrant  loyaliHts  from 
Xew  York  sought  shelter  in  this  remoto 
T>Iace  at  the  close  of  the  war  of  rebel- 
lion, in  the  year  1784,  and  built  a  large, 
commodious,  and  beautiful  wooden  town, 
at  the  head  of  the  magnificent  harbor  of 
Boseway.  In  their  haste,  or  their  ne- 
cessity, they  overlooked  the  fact,  that  a 
town  requires  a  country  to  support  it, 
unless  a  trade  which  has  grown  with  its 
growth  supplies  its  wants  upon  equal 
terms.  Remote  from  the  other  settle- 
ments of  the  province,  surrounded  by 
a  trackless  forest,  that  covers  a  poor  and 
stony  soil,  situated  too  far  from  the  en- 
trance of  the  harbor  to  reap  the  advon- 
tages  of  the  fishing-grounds,  and  filled 
with  a  population  unaccustomed  to  the 
mode,  and  unequal  to  the  fatigues,  of 
settling  in  a  wilderness,  it  was  impos- 
sible that  a  town  so  constituted  could 
long  exist.  Some  returned  penniless 
and  destitute  to  their  native  land,  others 
removed  to  various  parts  of  Nova  Scotia, 
and  the  graveyard,  from  year  to  year, 
received  great  numbers  of  those  that 
were  left  behind,  to  mourn  with  broken 
hearts  over  their  ruined  fortune*,  their 
hopeless  and  helpless  condition,  and  their 
dreary  exile.  When  I  had  last  seen  it, 
the  houses  were  still  standing,  though 
untenanted.  It  had  all  the  stillness 
and  quiet  of  a  moonlight  scene.  It  was 
difficult  to  imagine  it  was  deserted. 
The  idea  of  repose  more  readily  suggest- 
ed itself  than  decay.  All  was  new  and 
recent.  Seclusion,  and  not  death  or  re- 
moval, appeared  to  be  the  cause  of  the 
absence  of  inhabitants.  But  now  the 
houses  which  had  been  orisinally  built 
of  wood  had  severally  disappeared. 
Some  had  been  taken  to  pieces,  and  re- 
moved to  Halifax,  or  St.  John's ;  others 
had  been  converted  into  fuel,  and  the 
rest  had  fallen  a  prey  to  neglect  and  de« 
composition.  The  chimneys  stood  up 
erect,  and  marked  the  spot  round  wbiob 
the  social  circle  had  assembled ;  and  the 
blackened  fireplaces,  ranged  one  above 
another,  bespoke  the  size  of  the  tene- 
ment and  the  means  of  its  owner.  In 
some  places  they  had  sunk  with  the  edi- 


floo,  leaving  a  heap  of  ruins  ;  while  not 
a  few  were  inclining  to  their  fall,  and 
awaiting  the  first  storm  to  repose  again 
in  the  dust  that  now  covered  those  who 
had  constructed  them.  Hundreds  of 
cellars,  with  their  stone  walls  and  gran- 
ite partitions,  were  every  where  to  be 
seen,  like  uncovered  monuments  of  the 
dead.  Time  and  decay  had  done  their 
work.  All  that  was  perishable  had  per- 
ished, and  those  numerous  vaults  spoke 
of  a  generation  that  had  passed  away  for 
ever,  and,  without  the  aid  of  an  inscrip- 
tion, told  a  tale  of  sorrow  and  sadness 
that  overpowered  the  heart. 

"  A  few  new  houses  had  recently  been 
erected,  and  a  very  few  of  the  old  had 
been  snatched  from  decay  and  repaired ; 
but,  of  the  thousands  of  inhabitants  that 
this  town  once  contained,  four  or  five 
survivors  alone  remained,  and  the  en- 
tire population  did  not  exceed  two 
thousand  souls.  They  were  all  attach- 
ed to  the  place,  and  spoke  confidently 
o(  its  revival,  fondly  of  its  noble  harbor, 
and  proudly  of  its  former  prosper- 
ity. Every  spot  had  its  little  history. 
Here  the  pilgrims  first  landed,  and  this 
spacious  street  was  the  first  that  was 
out  out  through  the  woods.  On  that 
bridge  the  bands  of  the  regimenta  as- 
sembled on  a  summer's  evening  to  play 
the  tunes  of  their  fatherland.  In  the 
house  which  once  stood  over  this  large 
cellar,  Field-Marshal  Beresford  was 
quartered  when  a  young  officer  in  the 
garrison,  and  in  that  sedgy  piece  of 
ground  was  wounded  in  the  face  by  an 
aceidental  discharge  from  the  gun  of  a 
brother  sportsman.  On  that  eminence, 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  harbor,  stood 
extensive  barracks,  capable  of  accommo- 
dating three  regiments ;  and  on  the 
point  of  land  that  terminates  King's 
Street  was  a  heavy  battery,  the  guns 
of  which  corroded  by  time,  lie  half- 
buried  in  the  earth  ;  for,  alas !  there  is 
nothing  now  to  defend.  At  this  corner 
stood  the  great  hotel  of  Shelbnrne, 
where  the  weekly  balls  were  held,  and 
the  beauty  and  fashion  of  the  old  colony 
of  New  York  (for  the   Loyalists  were 

[)rineipally    gentry)  assembled  for  the 
ast  time.     Driven  into  exile  by  their 


8un,  as  its  r: 


THE  TOMBSTONES. 


47 


rebel   countrymen,    and  environed    in 
the  country   of  their  adoption  by  pov- 
erty, and  a  dim  and   lowering  future, 
they  vainly  sought  to  fly  from  regret, 
aod  lose  the  painful  memory  of  the  past 
in  festivity  and  amusement.     That  spa- 
cious church,  which  is  now  so  far  from 
the  village,  was  once  in  the  centre  of  this 
large  town  ;   and  the   number  of  the 
graves  in  the  cemetery  bear  a  frightful 
disproportion  to  the  present  population. 
''While     strolling     one     afternoon 
through  the  deserted  and  grass-grown 
street  that  passes  in  front  of  this  build- 
ing, my  attention   was  attracted  by  a 
very   handsome    and    apparently  new 
monument,  which  appeared  to  have  been 
just  erected — probably  to  one  of  the  last 
of  this  ill-fated    emigration.     It   was 
built    of    the    beautiful   granite   that 
abounds  in  the  neighborhood,  and  its 
fresh-chiselled   surface  glistened  in  the 
I  gun,  as  its  rays  fell  on  the  bright  and 
I  polished  particles  of  mica  imbedded  in 
its  indestructible  substance.     It  was  a 
costly  structure,  not  in  keeping  with  the 
means  of  the  present  inhabitants,  and 
evidently  could  not  have  been  executed 
I  by  any  workman  then  resident  at  Shel- 
jburne.     It  occurred  to  me   that,  per- 
haps, the  affection  or  the  piety  of  a  child 
I  had  erected  this  tribute  to  the  memory 
I  or  misfortunes  of  a  parent  who  had  found 
I  rest  at  last  in  this  secluded  spot.     My 
I  curiosity  was  excited,  aad,  opening  a 
little  gate,  I  entered  the  yard  to  ascer- 
tain, from  the  inscription,  the  name  and 
history  of  this  venerable   patriarch.     I 
was  astonished  to  find  that  it  was  nearly 
as  old  as  the  town,  and  designed,  not 
for  one  of  the  pilgrims,  but  for  a  young 
officer  who  had  been  drowned  in  the  bar- 
lOr     The  inscription  was  as  follows  : — 

Siicred 

to  Ihe  Memory  of 

Patrick  M.\xwell,  Esq., 

Enaign  in  His  Majesty's  Gist  or  First 

Warwickshire  Infantry, 

and  Sun  of 

Sir  William  Maxwell, 

of  Spring  Hill,  B.irt.,  N.B., 

who  was  unfortunately  upset 

in  a  Sail-boat, 

10th  July,  1790,  and 

drowned, 

.Stat.  19, 

deeply  regretted  by 

his  afflicted  parents, 

and  all  who  knew  hiin, 


"  Such  an  untimely  and  melancholy 
death  is  unhappily  one  of  daily  occur- 
rence, and  his  was  only  distinguishable 
from  others  of  t*>  .Mae  kind  by  a  trait 
of  generous  n...iiiiness  that  deserves  to 
be  recorded.  I  have  just  told  you  there 
was  a  large  battery  and  guard-house  at 
the  termination  or  commencement  of 
King's  Street,  and  very  extensive  bar- 
racks on  the  opposite  side  of  the  har- 
bor— an  arrangement  which  had,  proba- 
bly, been  adopted  for  the  greater  seclu- 
sion and  better  management  of  the 
troops.  Between  these  two  stations 
boats  were  constantly  passing  and  re- 
passing, either  on  business  or  pleasure. 
On  the  day  mentioned  on  the  tablet,  a 
viotualling-barge,  containing  a  party  of 
soldiers  and  two  officers,  was  struck 
about  the  centre  of  the  harbor  by  a  heavy 
squall,  and  upset,  and  every  soul  on 
board  perished,  with  the  exception  of 
the  sergeant.  Young  Maxwell  was  one 
of  the  unfortunate  sufferers*  The 
sergeant,  who  was  an  expert  swimmer, 
generously  took  him  on  his  back,  and 
struck  out  boldly  for  the  shore.  Mis- 
calculating his  power,  however,  he  swam 
too  hastily,  and  had  not  proceeded  far 
before  his  strength  began  to  fail.  Max- 
well, as  soon  as  he  perceived  him  falter, 
expressed  his  determination  to  relieve 
him  of  the  burden  be  had  so  kindly 
assumed.  He  exhorted  him  to  be  oool 
and  collected,  to  proceed  slowly,  but, 
above  all  things,  to  persevere  on  account 
of  his  wife  and  children ;  and  then,  bid- 
ding him  adieu,  relinquished  his  hold, 
and  sunk  to  rise  no  more. 

"  My  first  feeling  on  reading  the  in- 
scription was  one  that  is  common  to  na 
all  when  we  hear  of  the  untimely  death 
of  the  young,  but  reflection  soon  took 
another  turn.  If  now  living,  he  would 
have  been  seventy-five  years  of  age — a 
tottering,  decrepit  old  man  like  myself, 
full  of  years  and  infirmities.  Had  h\ 
been  then  spared,  I  asked  myself,  would 
he  have  survived   till  this   day?     Or 


*  On  the  reverse  side  of  this  monument  was 
an  inscription  of  a  similar  nature  to  Lieutenant 
Nicholas  Ball,  of  the  same  regiment,  who  per- 
ished on  this  occasion.  Both  bodies  were  do* 
posited  in  one  grave. 


IM 


t^'-h 


% 


48 


k 
"V 


THE  OLD  JUDOS  I  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


■.a 
.1 


''1 

*. 


h  m 


'  i 


■'i;. 


i 


m 


would  disease  have  pat  in  its  claim,  or 
the  battle-field  held  him  as  a  victim  ? 
Was  ignominy  avoided  or  honor  lost  bv 
that  event  t  Would  his  career  in  lire 
have  been  unmarked,  or  has  a  name 
perished  that  was  destined  to  grace  the 
pages  of  his  country's  history  f  All, 
alas  I  is  hidden  in  impenetraDle  mas- 
tery. But  reason  and  religion  alike 
teach  us  this  great  consolatory  truth, 
that  a  wise  and  merciful  Providence 
orders  all  things  for  the  best. 

"  As  regards  monuments,  however,  I 
agree  with  you,  Barclay.  I  neither  ap- 
prove of  tho  imagery,  emblems,  or  Ian- 


-i.CI'. 


■■>'           ■-  ■,'  .       •    .•'  " 

■»-         '      »  ■        J  ■ .  -    .     ,        ■  ,  ^ 

1.1 :  I          '-  ,  ■           .-.          ;       '           •• 

•  •       "  .            ,  ■  ■'                           ■'.    '        ,  ,1  ' ■ 

■  1 1  _ 

...    -■  ■  ,  ■           ':■•■■     '■)'.<  -'i ']'■■■, 
■i    -     I.  -^r   .....  .      .    '■■.  - 

■  A  .  ■         :   ..>  ■'>'■'  ,..•■! 


■Ah 


:':9'' 


'■hi:'-'- 

»-J 

.¥ 

/'•* 

:*• 

i-  -       ,     .. 

;■!; 

i     •. 

ii" 

.                   i 

>% 

r.  * 

4"' 

':^^ 

,..,,(,•■• 


■",  '    < 

'  ■}-.*  1 

0. 

■  '*  il' 

'i'l 

f 

ni 

(•..! 

guage  we  use.  Less  flattery  and  mora 
truth,  less  reference  to  worldly  vanities 
and  more  resignation  to  the  will  of  God, 
a,total  exclusion  of  heathen  allegories 
and  the  introduction  of  such  only  as 
are  of  Christian  origin,  would  be  infi- 
nitely more  appropriate  and  becoming, 
If  we  are  to  be  addressed  from  the 
grave,  it  should  be  in  language  calcu- 
lated to  make  us  wiser  and  better  men ; 
for  we  do  not  seek  these  solitudes  to 
gratify  our  tastes,  but  to  purify  our 
hearts,  and  to  enable  us,  by  a  oontem- 

{dation  of  the  fate  of  others,  to  prepare 
or  the  inevitable  approach  of  our  own." 


'!f^. :...:■' 


.'<      ..;iJ 


iv        ..    '>'y::-  i.T)  •! 


I  ,  ,(, 


■'*  *■■  ■'-^'.'!i'.  ■'^' 


?■'.     ■       ■.    )    ;.      ■. 
■■/     t      .  ■■  i,<-.  '   ■'.    ■   ■"•;■  ;>  ,;-v;'ri 

W-'  Vi 

•  i  >'.«;• 

i     It:-',;.     ......  1   ■  7        :.,,!   :  !.     1  viij., 

■[-■4  ii;  ^  ;   h!>  :  ■  .     ,!i       /  ,,.  ;r.)t  \: 

■■■  ■■  <*;./'■■■  n  ■  '.[  ■-  :  <■  r.'i^  .;»«  ti  *\ 
:  ,  •,■  <t  ')•(.•  r)  '-':  .'  ,,  iiM'  !  .1  i  .■;•! 
!■::'.  1  !'■  !  f  ,.-.;  t:  ■  ■:•  ;    ;.  i     ...    '■!,  i.",;..: 

•.    '.       *•..     ;-;;!:     •   .  V^;;  <■:.     .  .!  -,• 


t 


■:>\  1;  . 

■'V     '      ''i 


'■! .'  i;.  >^-r 


,,l  -.I 


,  i  .( 


A  BALL  AT  GOVERNMENT  HOUSE 


f^ 


On  our  return  to  lUenoo,  our  recent 

I  visit  to  Halifax  and  its  incidents  na- 
turally became  the  subject  of  conversa- 
tion, and,  among  other  things.  Govern- 
ment   House    and    its    inmates    were 

I  adverted  to. 

"  The  situation  of  a  governor,"  said 

I  the  Judge,  "  is  by  no  means  an  envia- 
ble one.  He  is  insufficiently  paid,  sel- 
i  >m  properly  supported  by  the  Colonial 
Office ;  and  no  sooner  becomes  acquaint- 
ed with  the  people  and  the  country  than 
hie  term  of  service  expires.  Ti\3  pro- 
vince is  then  again  entrusted  to  a  stran- 
ger, who  goes  through  the  same  process 
of  acquiring  experience,  with  great  per- 

1 8onal  labor,  annoyance,  and  inconveni- 
ence to  himself,  and  with  some  danger, 

I  and  no  little  alarm,  to  the  inhabitants ; 

I  while  his  best  exertions  and  intentions 
are  often  frustrated,  and  his  domestic 
comfort  destroyed,  by  the  petty  inso- 
lences and  insignificant  intrigues  of  the 
little  leaders  of  little  political  factions 
about  him. 

"Recent  democratic  changes  in  the 
constitution  of  the  colonics  have  ren- 
dered his  position  still  more  difficult, 
by  limiting  the  prerogative,  transfer- 
ring much  of  his  authority  to  his  coun- 
cil, and  making  public  offices  not  the 
reward  of  merit,  but  of  agitation.    With 

? clitics,  however,  I  have  nothing  to  do. 
not  only  take  no  interest  in  them,  but 
I  even  dislike  to  hear  them,  discussed. 
A  governor,  however,  if  ho  be  a  man  of 
honor,  and  a  gentleman,  is  really  an 
object  of  pity.  As  far  as  we  have  been 
concerned  ourselves,  we  have  been  ex- 
tremely fortunate  in  the  selection  that 
has  been  made  for  us,  aad  are  enabled 


to  enumerate  a  long  list  of  very  clever, 
as  well  as  very  amiable  men ;  but  aa 
my  experience  extends  over  a  long  series 
of  years,  and  is  by  no  means  limited  to 
our  North  American  possessions,  I  havs 
been  sometimes  amused  at  them  as  a 
class,  and  at  the  di£feront  manner  in 
which  they  severally  attempt  to  accom- 
plish the  object  they  all  have  in  view ; 
namely,  to  conduct  their  administration 
satisfactorily  to  their  employers,  and  to 
the  people  committed  to  their  charge. 
To  secure  the  approbation  of  the  au- 
thorities at  home,  it  is  merely  necessary 
to  keep  things  quiet,  for  they  have  them- 
selves made  every  concession  for  this 
purpose,  to  every  troublesome  party, 
until  there  is  little  left  now  but  total 
independence  to  concede.  To  preserve 
this  tranquillity,  therefore,  necessarily 
involves  the  same  policy  on  the  part  of 
a  governor,  and,  consequently,  the  ne- 
cessity for  a  certain  degree  of  personal 
popularity.  It  is  the  pursuit  of  this 
popularity  that  calls  forth  the  peculiar!* 
ties  and  character  of  the  man.  Some 
resting  it  where  it  ought  to  be,  on  the 
honest  and  inflexible  discharge  of  duty; 
others  on  tact,  a  knowledge  of  character, 
or  some  personal  qualification,  that  ren* 
ders  them  agreeable.  As  a  class,  there- 
fore, they  naturally  present  a  great  va* 
riety. 

"For  instance,  there  is  your  'man- 
of-business  governor,'  accessible  tt  all 
times,  punctual  in  the  performan<  e  of 
his  own  duty,  and  strict  in  requir  ng  a 
corresponding  exactness  in  otner»  —af- 
fable, cautious,  but  decided.  Thcu  t  ier« 
is  your  '  scheming  governor,'  a  mat  be- 
fore his  age,  who  delights  in  theori^*^> 


^^'i'  ■ 


f  r 


so 


he 


l'^ 


■1  ^'1 


'•*   I 


1.1 


'1 


1 .  i.< 


I 


ilv 


t ,, 


*¥' 


i 


i:   i'lhk 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


hM  Tistonn  of  greatness  for  his  little 
empire,  desires  to  have  the  people  hab- 
itoa  in  garments,  which,  if  they  do  not 
fit,  are  admirably  well  calculated  to  ad- 
mit of  an  extended  growth  of  the  body 
and  limb ;  who  talks  of  systems,  heads 
of  departments,  and  boards,  and  will 
neither  see  nor  hear  of  difficulties,  as, 
in  his  opinion,  there  never  are  any  that 
are  insurmountable,  and  who  treats  the 
Secretary  of  State  to  l6ng  reports,  for 
the  amusement  of  the  clerks  to  report 
upon.     Next  comes  your  '  entertaining 

Sovernor,'  who  keeps  a  hospitable  ta- 
le, gives  numerous  parties,  is  full  of 
anecdote,  and  tells  his  stories  well,  pays 
due  attention  to  country  members  and 
their  fashionable  and  agreeable  wives 
and  daughters,  takes  care  that  his  staff 
are  attentive  to  those  who  stand  in  need 
of  attentions,  and  dance  with  those  who 
cannot  command  partners,  and  who  ar- 
ranges his  dinners  so  as  to  bring  to- 
gether people  who  know  each  other  and 
are  agreeable.  As  for  business,  he  obeys 
orders  from  home,  interferes  personally 
as  little  as  possible,  and  suffers  things 
to  take  their  course.  Then  there  is 
your  '  humbugging  governor,'  who  bows 
and  smiles  to  all,  says  civil  things  to 
every  body  and  of  every  body,  makes 
long  speeches  and  writes  long  messages, 
adopts  no  side  warmly,  has  no  decided 
opinions,  i.s  with  the  majority,  but  lives 
with  the  minority,  so  he  can  co-operate 
with  them  too,  if  they  become  strong 
enough  ;  is  attached  to  the  Church,  for 
he  was  born  and  bred  in  it ;  is  fond  of 
the  Catholics,  for  they  are  numerous, 
and  devoted  to  British  connexion ;  to 
the  Baptists,  because  freedom  of  opin- 
ion is  the  right  of  all,  especially  of  those 
who  form  so  large  a  body ;  and  of  the 
Scotch  Dissenters,  on  account  of  their 
abhorrence  of  democratic  principles,  and 
because  he  has  often  witnesified  and  ad- 
mired their  amiability  at  home,  and  the 
brotherly  love  they  exhibit  to  the  church 
abroad.  In  short,  he  is  'all  things  to 
all  men' — a  hand  ifor  all,  a  word  for  all, 
and  a  fig  for  all. 

**Then  there  is  jour  'dashing  gov- 
ernor,' a  regular  politician,  who  believes 
that  every  man  has  his  price,  regards  all 


provincials  as  scoundrels,  and  thinlti 
their  price  small ;  will  carry  his  mca» 
ures  coUte  qui  coiite. ;  has  a  strong  smack 
of  English  Radicalism,  and  flutters  the 
vanity  of  colonial  Liberals ;  knows  the 
little  points  of  little  men,  and  talks  o{ 
the  vast  resources  of  the  colony,  the  inn- 

fiortant  geographical,  relative,  and  po- 
itical  position  of  it;  the  able  views  and 
great  scope  of  intellect  of  its  statesmen; 
advocates  a  united  legislation  for  all  the 
colonies,  the  creation  of  a  viceroy,  and 
the  construction  of  a  railroad  to  the  Pa 
oific,  and  other  gigantic  projects.  Tubi 
for  the  whale.  There  are  also  your 
'  purely  civil,'  or  '  purely  military  gov- 
ernors.' The  former  has  no  command, 
and,  of  course,  is  by  no  means  so  well 
paid  as  the  other;  is  subject  to  some 
inconvenience  from  the  want  of  this  con- 
trol, and  is  in  occasional  collision  with 
the  commandant,  not  in  matters  of  im- 
portance (for  then  it  seldom  or  never 
occurs),  but  in  insignificant,  and  there- 
fore more  annoying  affairs.  He  pro- 
cures the  attendance  of  a  regimental 
band  at  his  parties  as  a  favor,  and  tol- 
erates their  airs  as  an  unavoidable  evil 
Although  familiar  with,  and  hospitable 
to,  the  officers  of  the  garrison,  ho  never 
enjoys  their  sympathies  like  an  old  gen- 
eral. Unless  he  is  a  man  of  rank  him- 
self, the  admiral,  it  is  observed,  is  more 
apt  to  stand  on  etiquette  and  rights  with 
him  than  if  he  were  a  soldier,  for  they 
again  both  pertain  to  the  profession  of 
arms,  although  not  to  the  same  branch 
of  the  service.  The  latter,  or  purely 
military  man,  delights  rather  in  the  ap- 
pellation of  General  than  that  of  Gov- 
ernor ;  is  fonder  of  assembling  his  troops 
than  his  legislature,  and  is  more  at  home 
with  the  officers  of  his  brigade  than 
with  the  officers  of  his  colony.  He 
would  rather  talk  of  the  Punjaub  than 
the  Maddawaska,  and  the  heads  of  col- 
umns than  the  heads  of  departments. 
He  says  but  little,  promises  less ;  but 
does  what  he  says.  He  refers  every 
thing  to  the  department  to  which  it  be- 
longs, and  acts  on  the  report  of  the  prin- 
cipal. He  takes  no  responsibility.  If 
the  Assembly  flares  up,  so  does  hd ;  begs 
them  to  accept  the  assurance  of  his  most 


Bay, 


A  BALL  AT  UOVERNMENT  HOUSB. 


61 


profound  iDdiffcrcnco,  and  informs  them 
that  he  was  a  general  before  he  was  a 
governor.  If  they  petition  the  sover- 
eign, he  thanks  them  for  it ;  tells  them 
he  is  an  old  and  faithful  servant  of  the 
crown,  and  has  been  so  long  abroad  he 
is  in  danger  of  being  forgotten ;  that 
their  memorial  will  call  attentitn  to  the 
fact  that  ho  is  still  living,  and  serving 
his  king  with  zeal  and  fidelity. 

"  These  peculiarities  are  either  gener- 
ated or  disclosed  by  the  duties  and  ne- 
cessities of  the  station,  and  are  the  va- 
rious etfects  on  the  human  mind  of  a 
morbid  desire  for  applause.  Under  any 
circumstaucca,  this  high  functionary  can 
now  personally  effect  but  little  good,  in 
consequence  of  the  restrictions  and  lim- 
itations imposed  upon  his  authority ;  but 
he  is  by  no  means  equally  powerless  for 
evil,  and  if  he  should,  unfortunately,  be 
surrounded  by  a  needy  or  unprincipled 
council,  and  bo  deficient  either  in  a 
knowledge  of  his'  duty  or  in  firmness 
of  purpose,  the  country  may  suffer  in- 
oaloulable  injury.  One  of  my  prede- 
cessors on  the  beach,  a  man  of  great 
humor  and  eccentricity,  used  gravely 
to  maintain,  that  the  only  person  fit  for 
the  situation  was  a  wise  man  or  a  fool. 
'  If  he  really  is  a  wise  man,'  he  used  to 
say, '  he  will  govern  by  himself,  and  not 
by  favorites ;  if  he  is  a  fool,  he  will  not 
think  of  holding  the  reins  at  all,  but 
entrust  them  wholly  to  the  constituted 
authorities.'  Your  indifferent  govern- 
ors, generally  speaking,  are  your  clever 
men,  or,  according  to  the  cant  phrase  of 
modern  times,  ^our  ^talented  men' — 
people  who  are  intelligent  enough  to  be 
conceited,  and  yet  have  not  sufficient 
ability  to  dispense  with  advice.  These 
great  guns,  therefore,  as  my  friend  Bar- 
clay calls  them,  are,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  of  different  calibre  and  weight, 
and  their  effect  is  in  proportion.  Some 
carry  as  true,  and  are  as  unerring,  as  a 
rifle ;  others,  thoufjh  they  hit  the  mark, 
have  no  power  of  condensation,  and  do 
mischief  by  scattering.  This  one  over- 
shoots the  object,  and  that  falls  short  of 
it  Some  hang  fire  from  indecision,  and 
others  go  off  unexpectedly  from  impetu- 
osity.     All  these  failures  arise   tVuiu 


want  of  previous  preparation,  cither  by 
having  served  in  one  or  other  of  the 
houses  of  parliament,  or  filled  some  of 
the  higher  offices  io  a  colony.     Suitable 

Eersuns,  I  admit,  are  not  easily  found  ; 
ut  confining  the  selection  to  general 
officers  increases  the  difficulty,  inasmuch 
as  a  military  education,  and  the  life  and 
habits  of  a  soldier,  have  a  tendency  to 
unfit  them  for  constitutional  govern- 
ment. Indeed,  some  difficulty  will  be 
experienced  in  future,  in  inducing  gen- 
tlemen to  accept  an  office,  the  emolu- 
ments of  which  are  insufficient  to  defray 
the  ordinary  expenditure,  and  the  du- 
ties both  onerous  and  responsible — 
many  of  them  excessively  disagreeable, 
and  all  accompanied  by  the  most  offen- 
sire  abuse  and  misrepresentation  of  an 
unbridled  and  licentious  press.  Much 
of  this,  if  not  all,  may  be  regarded  with 
pity  or  contempt  by  a  well-regulated 
mind;  but,  unfortunately,  custom  has 
sanctioned,  until  time  has  converted  into 
a  duty,  the  practice  of  indiscriminate 
hospitality,  whereby  the  privacy  of  his 
house,  and  the  comfort  of  his  family,  are 
effectually  destroyed.  Men  are  to  be 
seen  at  a  governor's  table  who  are  to  be 
met  with  no  where  else ;  and  people  are 
brought  together  whose  previous  inter- 
course has  extended  no  further  than 
purchases  made  through  the  interven- 
tion of  a  servant  at  the  market-place. 
The  consequence  is,  that  instead  of  ex- 
hibiting the  best,  Government  House  af- 
fords the  worst  specimen  of  society  in  the 
province.  Independently  of  the  annoy- 
anco  to  which  all  are  subject  by  such  an 
association,  the  governor,  his  staff,  and 
strangers  naturally  infer  that  this  anom- 
aly is  the  general  condition  of  colonial 
society.  The  ignorance,  awkwardness, 
and  presumption  thus  displayed,  are 
taken  as  characteristics  of  the  whole ; 
and  many  anecdotes  are  in  circulation 
to  the  disadvantage  of  Halifax  and  other 
provi:  cial  capitals,  that  are  chargeable 
alone  on  the  extraordinary  mixture  that 
this  ill-regulated  hospitality  produces. 

"  You  have  seen  the  governor  under 
more  favorable  circumstances,  for  you 
have  merely  dined  with  him  and  some 
of  his  friends,  and,  fortunately,  at  a  tim 


'T    »         < 


,V 


S8 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


'^'  '   * 


whon  the  town  was  not  filled  with  the 
gentlemen  from  the  rural  districts,' 
and,  of  course,  when  he  was  enabled  to 
escape  from  their  intrusion.  There  are 
times  when  the  '  palace '  may  be  said  to 
be  out  of  season,  it  is  so  distasteful ;  and 
it  is  necessary  that  you  should  see  it, 
and  the  balls  given  at  that  period,  fully 
*o  understand  what  I  mean.  The  most 
amusing  part  of  this  folly  is,  that  people 
who  are  excluded  for  their  misconduct 
(although  not  admitted  elsewhere),  for- 
mally complain  of  it  as  a  grievance,  and 
actually  maintain  that  the  governor  is 
not  only  bound  to  extend  his  invitationb 
w>  those  that  are  unfit,  but  even  to  those 
Ax&t  are  unworthy.  One  cannot  but 
feel  for  the  indignity  and  annoyance  he 
must  continually  endure  from  this  cause. 
It  reminds  me  of  an  anecdote  told  me 
by  Sir  John  Sherbrooke,  when  he  com- 
rwnded  here. 

-'  He  had  given  permission  to  his 
h«,use-stbward  and  butler — two  of  the 
tullest  and  largest  men  in  Halifax — to 
give  an  entertainment  to  their  friends, 
and  invite  as  many  as  they  thought 
in  their  own  apartment  at  his 
A  day  or  two  after  the  party,  a 
diminutive  but  irascible  barber,  who 
\f»s  in  the  habit  of  attending  upon  him, 
.v>mplained,  in  the  course  of  his  profes- 
sional duty,  that  his  feelings  were  great- 
ly hurt  by  his  exclusion  from  the  fes- 
tivities of  Government  House  by  the 
steward  and  butler,  as  it  had  a  tendency 
to  lower  him  in  the  estimation  of  his 
acquaintances ;  and  if  it  had  not  been 
for  the  respect  he  owed  his  excellency, 
h^  would  most  assuredly  have  horse- 
whipped them  both. 

"  '  Would  you  ?'  said  Sir  John,  who 
was  excessively  amused  at  the  pugna- 
cio'js  little  man.  '  Would  you  1  By 
Jove !  then,  I  give  you  my  leave.  Horse- 
whip them  as  long  as  you  can  s(a7id  over 
them.' 

" '  This  is  the  manner,'  he  observed, 
*  in  which  the  good  people  here  censure 
me.  It  appears  that  I  occasionally  omit 
to  ask  ^ome  person  who  thinks  he  is 
entitled  to  a  card  as  a  matter  of  right. 
I  really  thought,  at  first,  the  fellow  was 
agoing  to  complain  to  me  of  myself,  for, 


E  roper, 
ouse. 


in  fact,  he  has  just  as  good  a  right  te 
come  as  some  others  who  are  admitted.' 
"  So  far,  therefore,  from  a  government 
house  exercising  a  salutary  influence  on 
the  community,  its  effects  are  in  fact  in- 
jurious. People  who  go  from  the  coun- 
try, and  procure,  through  their  repre- 
sentatives, admission  to  the  palace,  when 
they  return  to  their  homes  contrast  the 
facility  with  which  this  honor  has  been 
obtained  with  the  utter  impossibility 
of  being  introduced  to  the  families  of 
gentlemen  in  their  own  neighborhood, 
attribute  the  difierence  to  pride  or  in- 
justice, and  naturally  attempt  to  vindi- 
cate their  rights,  by  striving  to  reduce 
to  their  own  level  those  who  maintain 
this  invidious  reserve.  It  is  natural  for 
them  to  think,  if  the  first  officer  in  the 
colony — he  who  represents  his  sovereign 
— is  willing  to  admit  that  there  are  na 
distinctions  of  stations,  or  to  wave  the 
consideration,  that  it  is  neither  right 
nor  expedient  that  subordinate  people 
should  maintain  a  different  course.  I^ 
is,  therefore,  the  prolific  parent  of  that 
respectable,  as  well  as  amiable  anH  at- 
tractive, virtue  known  as  '  Colonial  Pat- 
riotism '  It  is  some  years  since  I  was 
at  a  ball  at  Government  House.  My 
age  and  infirmities  render  them  irksome 
to  me,  and,  of  course,  unfit  me  for  en- 
joying them.  The  last  time  I  was  there, 
was  during  the  administration  of  Sir 
Hercules  Sampson.  I  need  not  describe 
him,  or  his  lady  and  daughter,  or  his 
two  aids.  Lord  Edward  Dumkopf  and 
the  Honorable  Mr.  Trotz;  for,  if  I  recol- 
lect aright,  Barclay  has  done  that  al- 
ready, much  better  than  I  could,  in  his 
graphic  sketch  of  '  Asking  a  Governor 
to  Dine.'  It  was  on  the  first  day  of 
January,  there  was  a  levee  in  the  morn- 
ing, a  dinner  party  in  the  afternoon,  and 
a  ball  in  the  evening.  A  custom  pre* 
vailed  then,  and  still  does,  I  believe,  at 
Halifax,  as  well  as  elsewhere  in  the 
country,  for  the  gentlemen  to  call  that 
day  on  all  the  ladies  of  their  acquain- 
tance, who  are  expected  to  he  at  home 
to  receive  visitors,  to  whom  cake  and 
wine  are  ofiered.  Of  course,  there  is 
at  every  hout.'^s  a  constant  succession  ot 
people,  from  mid-day  til}  the  hour  ot 


a  1     US'! 


A  BALL  AT  GOVERNMENT  HOUSE. 


63 


right  te 
admitted.' 
vernmeni 
luenoe  on 
in  fact  in- 
the  coun- 
3ir  repre- 
ace,  wheu 
itrast  the 
has  been 
)083ibility 
miliea  of 
iiborhood, 
de  or  in- 
to vindi- 
;o  reduce 
maintain 
latural  for 
ser  in  the 
sovereign 
re  are  no 
wave  the 
her  right 
ite  people 
mrse.     I* 
it  of  that 
e  anH  at- 
}nial  Pat- 
ce  1  was 
use.     My 
a  irksome 
e  for  en- 
gras  there, 
»n  of  Sir 
t  describe 
er,  or  his 
kopf  aud 
if  I  recol- 
that  al- 
d,  in  his 
Governor 
3t  day  of 
;he  morn- 
Qoon,  and 
torn  pre- 
lelieve,  at 
in    the 
call  that 
acquain- 
at  home 
3ako  and 
there  is 
}ssion  ot 
hour  01 


I 


; 


i 


linner ;  and,  at  the  time  1  am  speaking 
of,  these  morning  libations  to  the  health 
of  the  fp.ir  sex  increased  not  a  little  to- 
wards afternoon  the  difficulty  that  al- 
ways exists  in  winter,  in  walking  over 
the  slippery  and  dangerous  streets  of 
the  town.  Although  generally  con- 
sidered a  very  troublesome  ceremony,  it 
is  not  without  its  beneficial  effects,  inas- 
much as  it  induces  or  compels  a  renewal 
of  relations  that  have  suffered  from 
neglect  or  misunderstanding  during  the 
preceding  year,  and  affords  a  good  op- 
portunity for  recopfiiliation  without  the 
^intervention  of  friends,  or  the  awkward- 
ness of  explanations.  Indeed  it  is  this 
consideration  alone  that  has  caused  this 
rural  practice  to  survive  the  usages  of 
the  olden  time. 

"  Many  absurd  anecdotes  are  in  cir- 
culation relating  to  the  accidents  and 
incidents  of  the  '  New  Year's  Calls,' 
among  the  drollest  of  which  is  the  sud- 
den irruption  into  a  house  of  the  greater 
part  of  those  persons  who  had  attended 
the  governor's  levfie,  and  their  equally 
sudden  departure,  amid  shrieks  of  af- 
fright and  roars  of  laughter,  as  the  crack- 
ing of  the  beams  of  the  floor  gave  notice 
of  the  impending  danger  of  a  descent 
into  the  cellar,  and  the  subsequent  col- 
lective mass  of  fashionables  in  one  con- 
fused and  inextricable  heap  at  the  foot 
of  the  very  icy  steps  of  the  hall  door. 
Ah,  me !  those  were  days  of  hilarity  and 
good-humor,  before  political  strife  had 
infused  bitterness  and  personality  into 
every  thing.  We  were  but  too  happy 
before  we  became  too  free.  The  dinner 
was  an  official  one  ;  the  guests  were  the 
various  heads  of  departments  in  the 
place ;  and  it  passed  off  much  in  the 
same  manner  as  similar  ones  do  else- 
where. Of  the  ball,  it  is  difficult  to 
convey  to  you  a  very  distinct  idea,  such 
entertainments  being  so  much  alike 
every  where.  There  may  be  more  fash- 
ion and  more  elegance  in  one  assembly 
than  another ;  but  if  the  company  are 
well-bred  people,  the  difference  is  one 
and  not  of  character ; 
company  is  mixed 


01  appearance. 


and  even  when  the 

and  motleyed,  as  on  the  occasion  I  am 

•peaking  of,  still,  when  the  greater  part 


ot  tbem  are  gentry,  the  difference  be- 
tween it  and  one  more  exclusive,  though 
perceptible  to  the  eye,  well  defined  and 
clearly  distinguishable,  is  one  of  color- 
ing ;  and  if,  in  delineating  it,  the  shades 
are  made  too  strong,  it  becomes  a  fancy 
sketch  rather  than  a  faithful  picture, 
and  the  actors  appear  in  caricature,  and 
not  in  natural  and  faithful  portraiture. 
To  give  you  the  proprieties  would  bo 
insipid,  as  all  proprieties  are,  and  to 
give  you  only  the  absurdities  would  be 
to  make  them  too  prominent,  and  lead 
you  to  suppose  they  were  samples  of  the 
whole,  and  not  exceptions.  You  must 
bear  this  in  mind,  thei'efore,  or  you  will 
think  the  account  exaggerated,  or  the 
party  more  exceptionable  than  it  really 
was. 

"When  I  first  knew  Government 
House,  the  society  to  be  met  with  there 
was  always,  as  I  have  before  said,  tho 
best  in  the  place.  In  time  each  suc- 
ceeding governor  enlarged  the  extent  of 
his  circle ;  and  at  last,  as  a  corrective, 
two  were  formed  for  evening  entertain- 
ments, one  that  was  selected  for  small 
parties,  and  for  frequent  intercourse 
with  the  family  ;  and  a  second  designed 
for  public  nights  only  and  rare  occasions, 
and  so  arranged  as  to  embrace  all  with- 
in, as  well  as  most  people  beyond,  the 
limits  of  the  other.  The  effect  of  this 
arrangement  was,  to  draw  the  two  classes 
apart,  to  create  invidious  distinctions, 
and  to  produce  mutual  dislike.  Subse- 
quently the  two  have  been  merged  into 
one,  which  has  consequently  become  so 
diluted  as  to  be  excessively  unpalatable. 
The  best  part  have  lost  their  flavor  with- 
out imparting  it  to  others ;  and  the  in- 
ferior, being  coarser  and  stronger,  have 
imbued  the  rest  with  as  much  of  their 
peculiarities  as  to  neutralize  their  effect, 
while  they  have  retained  enough  to  be 
as  disagreeable  and  repulsive  as  ever. 

'•  The  even'ng  to  which  I  allude  being 
a  public  one,  ti\e  invitations  were  very 
numerous,  and  embraced  the  military^ 
navy,  and  staff,  the  members  of  the  leg 
islature,  which  was  then  in  session,  and 
•U  the  civilians  whose  names  were  to  be 
found  on  the  most  extended  list  that 
had  been  formed  at  the  time.     Having 


$ 


.-■< 


54 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


dined  at  the  palace  that  day,  1  happened 
to  be  present  at  the  arrivals.  The 
guests  were  shown  into  the  drawing- 
room,  and  courteously,  though  ceremoni- 
ously, received  by  the  governor,  his  lady, 
and  staff.  Those  who  were  wholly  un- 
known, and  the  least  acquainted  with 
the  usages  of  society  (as  is  always  the 
case  with  awkward  people),  arrived  long 
before  the  rest,  and  were  not  a  little 
surprised  and  awed  at  finding  them- 
selves alone  in  the  presence  of  the  '  royal 
party.'  The  ladies  were  unable  or  afraid 
to  be  at  ease,  or  to  appear  at  home,  and 
sat  on  the  edges  of  their  chairs,  stiff, 
awkward,  and  confused.  The  utterance 
of  the  gentlemen,  who  were  no  less  con- 
scious of  being  out  of  their  element,  was 
thick,  rapid,  and  unintelligible ;  while 
they  appeared  to  find  hands  and  feet  an 
intolerable  nuisance.  The  former  felt 
into  every  pocket  of  their  owners  for  a 
secure  retreat,  but  were  so  restless,  they 
had  hardly  secreted  themselves  before 
they  made  their  escape  into  another 
hiding-place,  when  they  put  a  bold  face 
on  the  matter,  advanced  and  clasped 
each  other  in  agony  in  front,  and  then 
undertook  the  laborious  task  of  support- 
ing the  skirts  of  the  coat  behind.  The 
latter,  like  twin-brothers,  entered  the 
room  together,  and  stood  on  a  footing 
of  perfect  equality  ;  but  it  was  evident 
ambition  was  at  work  among  them,  for 
the  right  first  claimed  precedence,  and 
then  the  left,  and  then  they  rudely 
crossed  before  each  other,  and,  at  last, 
as  if  ashamed  of  this  ineffectual  struggle, 
when  their  master  sat  down,  hid  them- 
selves under  the  chair,  or  embraced 
each  other  lovingly  on  the  carpet.  Lord 
Edward  could  not,  and  Trotz  would  not 
talk.  Sir  Hercules,  with  great  good- 
humor,  tried  every  topic ;  but  he  no 
sooner  started  one  than  it  fled  in  affright 
at  the  uuld  and  repulsive  monosyllable 
'  Yes,'  or  '  No,'  and  escaped. 

" '  How  very  icy  the  streets  are  !'  he 
said  ;  *  thoy  are  really  quite  dangerous.' 

" '  Very,  sir.' 

" '  Does  your  harbor  ever  freeze  over  V 

"  *  No,  sir 0  yes,  often  sir  I — that 

is,  very  rarely — when  the  harbor  — 
breaks  through,  sir' 


" '  Perhaps,  madam,  some  of  these 
prints  would  amuse  you  I  Here  are 
some  of  the  latest  caricatures,  they  are 
capital ' 

" '  No,  thank  you.  Sir  Hercules — not 
any,  sir.' 

" '  Are  you  fond  of  driving  in  a 
sleigh  V 

" '  Some,  sir.'  i 

,'• '  Do  you  play  ?' 

"  '  I  never  touch  cards,  sir.' 

"  '  No,  but  upon  the  piano?' 

"'No,  but  my  Anna  Maria  does: 
and  master  says  she  has  a  most  grand 
ear,  sir.' 

" '  Perhaps  you  would  like  to  hear 
some  music  ?  If  so.  Lady  Sampson  will 
have  great  pleasure  in  playing  for  you.' 

" '  For  me  !  0  dear,  no — not  for  the 
world  !  I  couldn't  think  of  it  for  me,  sir.' 

" '  What  a  pity  it  is  there  is  no  theatre 
at  Halifax  I' 

"  '  Yes,  sir — ^very,  sir— for  them  as 
sees  no  harm  in  'em,  sir—yes,  sir.' 

"  The  governor  gave  it  up  in  despair, 
and  offered  me  a  pinch  of  snuff,  with  an 
air  of  resignation  that  would  have  done 
honor  to  a  martyr.  They  were  afraid 
of  him,  and  knew  not  how  to  address 
him ;  and,  besides,  who  could  talk  amid 
general  silence,  and  subject  their  chit- 
chat to  the  critical  ordeal  of  strangers  ? 

"  Announcements  now  became  more 
frequent,  and  relieved  the  embarrassment 
of  both  parties.  Major  and  Mrs  Sec- 
tion ;  Mrs.  and  the  Misses  de  Laine ; 
the  Hon.  Mr.  Flint  (a  privy  councillor) : 
Mr.  Steel  (the  Speaker),  Mrs.  and  Miss 
Steel,  and  Miss  Tinder ;  Col.  Lord 
Heather ;  Vice-Admiral  Sir  James  Cap- 
stan ;  Lady  Capstan ;  Captain  Sheet ; 
Lieut.  Stay  ;  and  so  on.  The  room  was 
soon  filled,  and  it  was  amusing  to  wit- 
ness the  effect  this  reinforcement  had  on 
the  spirits  of  the  advanced  party,  who 
had  hitherto  sustained,  unaided  and 
alone,  the  difficult  conversation,  and  to 
watch  the  eagerness  with  which  they  re- 
cognized and  claimed  an  acquaintance 
with  whom  they  could  be  at  ease  and 
talk  freely.  An  incipient  attack  of  the 
gout  compelling  me  to  take  a  chair.  I 
sat  down  near  the  table  on  which  were 
the  prints  and  caricatures,  but  soon  be- 


A  BALL  AT  GOVERNMENT  HOUSE. 


55 


Ed- 

'  ob- 

*but 

great 


Igume  more  interested  Id  the  scene  before 
I  me  than  in  those  over-drawn  pictures  of 
liife,  and  was  excessively  amused  at  the 
JBcrap<)  of  conversation  that  reached  me 
Ifrom  detached  groups  in  my  neighbor- 
Ihood. 

" '  Ah,  Mrs.  Section  !'  said  Trotz,  as 
Ihe  gave  her,  very  condescendingly,  one 
[finger,  '  how  do  you  do  ?  And  how  is 
Imy  friend,  the  major  V 

" '  The  major  is  poorly,  thank  you,' 
I  she  replied  ;  '■  he  caught  a  bad  cold  in 
[going  those  'orrid  grand  rounds  last 
[night.' 

^ '  Ah.'  said  Trotz, '  he  should  have 
I  had  a  four-post  bedstead  put  upon  run- 
[ners,  and  driven  in  that  manner  to  visit 
[the  posts!  The  orderly  could  have  ac- 
jcompaniod  him,  turned  out  the  guards 
[for  him,  and,  when  all  was  ready,  opened 
[the  curtains.' 

"'How  very  good,'  said  Lord 
I  ward. 

« '  What  a  droll  felloe  't    >tz'is 
[served  the  lady  to  heri>"^      'or  : 
those  grand  rounds  real'    k  ■ 
I  nuisance,  and  I  get  dread; uuy  trighten- 
ed  when  Section  is  out.     Last  night  I 
wanted  to  have  Sergeant  Butter  to  sleep 
in  the  'ouse ;   but  the  major  "aid,  '  'En- 
rietta,  don't  be  foolish  !*     St  i  put  my 
maid  Hann  in  the  dressing-room.    Pres- 
ently I  'eard  a  noise,  and  called  to  Hann, 
I  and    we    examined    every  place — and 
what  do  you  think  it  was  ?  an  howl  tap- 
I  ping  against  the  heaves  of  the  'ouse !' 

" '  I  am  afraid,'  said  the  admiral  to 
his  flag-captain,  'that  Sampson  will  find 
himself  in  a  scrape  this  winter.  I  don't 
see  how  he  is  to  get  over  the  rupture  of 
the  last  session  ;  where  it  was  tongucd 
then,  it  has  again  given  way,  I  under- 
staud,  and  nothing  holds  it  now  but  the 
cheeks  and  back  fish.' 

" '  Dear  me.  Sir  James,'  said  Mrs. 
Section,  '  'ow  very  'orrid !  do,  pray,  re- 
commend to  him  'OUoway's  Ealing 
Hointment — it's  hexcellent !  But  what 
did  you  say  It  was  that  hung  by  the 
governor's  cheeks  V 

'•  Their  sense  of  the  ludicrous  over- 
came their  sense  of  propriety,  and  they 
both  laughed  heartily ;  when  the  admi- 
ral said — 


'"Nothing,  my  dear  madam — noth 
ing  in  the  world  but  his  whiskers  I' 

"  Moving  a  little  further  off,  their 
place  was  soon  supplied  by  another  set, 
among  whom  was  the  pretty  Mrs. 
Smythe. 

'' '  Ah,  Mrs.  Section,  how  do  you  do 
to-night  ?  You  really  look  charmingly ! 
Let  me  introduce  dear  Mrs.  Glaverbousc 

to  you ! How  glad  I  am  to  see  you, 

Mrs.  Schweineimer !  When  did  you 
come  to  town  ?  Has  your  father  taken 
his  seat  in  the  council  yet? — Stop,  my 
dear,  there  is  nobody  looking  just  now ; 
your  dress  is  unhooked  at  the  top ;  let 
me  fasten  it.  W  hat  a  lovely  complex- 
ion !  I  would  give  the  world  for  such  a 
color  as  you  have.  I  suppose  you  ride 
a  great  deal  a-horseback  in  the  coun- 
try?' 

" '  No,  I  never  ride ;  father  hasn't  a 
beast  fit  for  the  side-saddle.' 

"  '  Call  it  a  horse,  dear ;  we  call  noth- 
ing a  beast  in  Halifax,  dear,  but  Col. 
Lord  Heather,  who  won't  allow  his  band 
to  play  at  private  parties.  Do  you  know 
Lady  Capstan?     i  will  introduce  you.' 

" '  Oh  dear,  no,  not  for  the  world, 
before  so  many  folks!  I  shouldn't 
know  whether  I  was  standing  on  my 
head  or  my  heels,  if  you  did.' 

" '  Don't  talk  of  standing  on  your 
head,  dear;  women  never  do  it  here, 
except  at  a  circus.' 

"'It's  allowable  to  have  one's  head 
turned  a  little  sometimes,  though,  ain't 
it  ?'  retorted  the  young  lady.  '  But 
who  is  that  old  fellow  at  the  table  V 

" '  Don't  call  him  a  fellow,  dear — 
fellows  are  only  found  at  colleges  and 
workhouses :  call  him  *  gentleman,'  and 
leave  the  word  'old'  out:  nobody  is  old 
here  but  the  devil.  It  is  Judge  Sand- 
ford,  dear.  Shall  I  introduce  you  ?  I 
think  he  knows  your  father.' 

'' '  Oh  no,  pray  don't ;  he  looks  so 
horrid  cross  and  grumpy !' 

" '  Who  is  to  DC  the  new  legislative 
councillor  V  inquired  a  member  of  the 
Assembly  of  another. 

"  '  Morgan,  I  believe.' 

"  Morgan !  why,  he  can't  write  hia 
name!  You  don't  mean  to  ^ay  they 
intend  to  put  in  Morgan?    Why,  he 


•A  1      > 


Jv.,iHf 


'r  4 


56 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


h* 


'J 


m 


)H»*; 


Hf 


un't  fit  to  be  a  doorkeeper — aud,  besides,  | 
his  character  is  none  of  the  best,  they 


My  I 


It  will  conciliate  all  the  clergy  of 


"  '  Conciliate  the  devil !  Well,  you 
do  astonish  me!  Did  you  get  your 
vote  through  for  the  Shinimicafih 
bridge  V 

" '  Yes.' 

"  '  I  wish  you'd  help  me,  then — log- 
roll mine  through,  for  an  over-ezpqndi- 
ture  I  have  of  five  hundred  pounds.' 

"  '  I  will,  if  you  will  support  the  acad- 
emy in  my  country.  I  was  put  in  on 
that  interest' 

"'Done!'  and  the  parties  shook 
hands,  and  separated. 

"As  they  turned  to  depart,  one  of 
them  struck  his  elbow  against  a  musical 
instrument,  that  gave  out  a  loud  and 
long-continued  sound. 

"  '  What's  that  V  he  aaked. 

" '  They  call  it  a  harp,'  was  the  re- 
ply. 

"  '  The  devil  it  is !  I  wonder  if  it  is 
like  the  harp  of  Solomon !' 

" '  I  never  heard  of  Solomon's  harp.' 

" '  Well,  it's  much  of  a  muchness, 
then,  for  I  never  saw  it;  so  we  are 
about  even,  I  guess.' 

" '  I  say.  Bill,  that's  a  devilish  pretty 
craft  with  a  rainbow  on  her  catheads, 
ain't  she? — there,  that  one  with  pink 
streamers  and  long-legged  gloves,'  said 
one  little  middy  to  another.  '  I'm 
blowed  if  I  don'ji  go  and  ask  her  to 
dance  with  me  I' 

"  '  Why,  Black,  what  are  you  at,  man  ? 
You  haven't  been  introduced  to  her.' 

"  '  The  uniform's  introduction  enough 
to  her ;  there's  no  harm  in  trying  it,  at 
any  rate.  So  I'm  off  in  chase  of  the 
strange  sail,  and  will  speak  her,  at  all 
events.' 

" '  How  was  dry  cod  at  Berbioe  ?'  in- 
quired a  little,  cold,  calculating  man,  of 
another  (who,  from  his  enormous  bulk, 
appeared  to  have  fed  upon  something 
much  better  than  his  favorite  export) — 
•  how  was  cod,  when  the  brig  Polly  left 
Berbiuti  ?  And  lumber,  was  the  market 
good  ?  What  a  grand  government  con- 
tract Longhead  got  for  the  supply  of 


the  army  and  navy  ?  That  fellow  don' 
entertain  the  commissary  people  foij 
nothing ;  that's  a  fact !  There's  no  ust 
to  tender  where  he's  concerned.' 

•' '  How  late  the  officers  of  the  10t,l 
are  in  coming  to-night !'  whispered  i| 
very  pretty  young  lady  to  her  compan. 
ion.    '  There  is  nothing  but  those  horridl 
black  coats  here,  and  they  look  like  illl 
omened  birds.     I  can't  bear  them ;  thejl 
take  up  so  much  room,  and,  I  fancy,  soil| 
my  gloves.' 

'' '  I  can't  say  I  have  any  objection  t«| 
them,'  said  the  other ;  '  but  I  wish  thejl 
were  not  so  fond  of  dancing.  But  justl 
look  at  Ann  Cooper,  what  a  witch  shJ 
has  made  of  herself;  she  actually  loobl 
like  a  fright!  I  wonder  what  Captaiil 
Denham  can  see  in  her  to  admirelf 
Come  this  way,  there  is  that  horridl 
Lawyer  Galbanum  seeking  whom  he  I 
can  devour  for  the  next  quadrille:  1 1 
shall  say  I  am  engaged.' 

"  '  So  shall  I,  for  I  have  no  idea  of  I 
figuring  with   him.      Look   at    Majoil 
Mitchell,  how  he  is  paying  court  to| 
Lady  Sampson!     They  say  he  is  at 
tentive  to  Miss  Sampson.      They  are 
moving  this  way ;    let  us  go  over  to 
Mrs.  Section,  she  always  has  so  manj 
people  about  her  that  one  knows.' 

"  '  What  a  magnificent  screen  1'  ex- 
claimed Major  5litchcll  to  the  great 
enchantress.  Lady  Sampson.  '  How 
beautifully  it  is  executed!  It  is  the 
most  exquisite  piece  of  embroidery  I 
ever  saw.  I  am  at  a  loss  which  most 
to  admire — the  brilliancy  of  the  color- 
ing and  delicate  shading,  or  the  skilful 
way  in  which  it  is  worlced  in  ;  for  it  has 
a  richer  and  softer  effect  than  any  thing 
of  the  kind  I  ever  beheld.  Where  in 
the  world  did  you  got  it  V 

'• '  I  hardly  like  to  tell  you,  after  such 
extravagant  praise ;  but  it  is  the  joint 
production  of  myself  and  daughter 
One  has  to  resort  to  some  such  occu 
pation  to  pass  the  time  in  this  horrid 
country,  aud,'  looking  round  cautiously, 
aud  lowering  her  voice,  'among  sucL 
horrid  cariboos  of  people,  too.' 

"  '  Exactly,'  said  the  major ;  '  I  know 
how  to  pity  you.' 

" '  When  I  was  in  the  West  lodieii 


W' 


'  1  >    »»'^ 


it  fellow  doD' 
•y  people  fo, 
L'liere's  no  \U(\ 
srued.' 
s  of  the  lOtl 
whispered  a 
)  her  oompanJ 
it  those  horrid 
f  look  like  ill 
ar  them ;  the; 
I,  I  fancy,  Boil 

y  objection  to 
it  I  wish  thej 
ig.  But  just 
t  a  witch  aiii 
actually  looki 
nrhat  Captain 
to  admirel 
that  horrid 
Qg  whom  he 
quadrille:  ] 

70  no  idea  of 
)k  at  Majoi 
ing  court  to 
lay  he  is  at 

They  are 
i  go  over  to 
has  so  man; 
cnows.' 
screen !'  ex- 
to  the  great 
son.      '  How 

It  is  the 
mbroidery  I 
which  most 
of  the  color- 
)r  the  skilful 
n  ;  for  it  has 
an  any  thing 
Where  in 


u,  after  such 

is  the  joint 

i    daughter. 

such  occu 

this  horrid 

1  cautiously, 

umong  suet  {l 

»o.' 

)r; 


'  I  know  !* 


I^cst  ladieB 


A   BALL  AT  GOVERNMENT  HOUSis.. 


57 


1  used  to  amuse  myself  by  embroidering 
by  way  of  killing  time.  The  weather 
was  so  extremely  hot,  it  was  impossible 
to  use  any  excrci.sc.' 

" '  Got  this  place  made  a  free  port, 
you  see.  Sir  Hercules,'  said  a  man,  who 
appeared  to  have  had  an  interview  on 
some  occasion  at  the  Colonial  and 
Home-office.  '  I  told  the  Secretary  of 
State  refusal  was  out  of  the  question, 
we  must  have  it ;  and  threatened  to 
have  a  committee  .moved  for  on  it  in 
the  House  of  Commons — regularly  bul- 
lied him  out  of  it.  The  Chancellor  of 
the  Exchequer,  who  is  a  particular  friend 
of  mine,  told  me  before  I  went  it  was 
the  only  way  at  Downing  Street.  'Bul- 
ly them,'  says  he,  'and  you'll  get  it.' 
But  Peel,  be  said,  was  a  different  man : 
•  self-created — a  new  man — important — 
feels  himself — stands  before  the  fire 
with  his  back  to  it,  and  his  hands  in  his 
pockets.  He  knows  who  he  is,  and  so 
must  you  appear  to  know.'  I  took  the 
hint,  pitched  into  him  about  the  confi- 
dence of  the  colonies  in  his  great  grasp 
of  intellect,  comprehensive  mind,  and 
80  on.  'Don't  say  another  word,  my 
good  fellow,  it  shall  be  done.  /  say  it, 
you  know,  and  that's  enough.'  I  had 
a  conversation  with  John  Bussell,  too ; 
and,  between  you  and  me,  they  tell  me 
his  lordship  is  a  rising  mail.  '  Plumb- 
stone,'  said  he, '  Halifax  is  a  very  im- 
portant place — a  very  important  place, 
indeed.  I  really  bad  no  idea  of  it,  un- 
til you  explained  to  me  its  capabilities  ;' 
and  then,  tapping  me  on  the  shoulder, 
he  said, '  and  it  has  some  very  import- 
ant men  in  it,  too !' — a  handsome  com- 
pliment, wasn't  it  ?  And  then  he  quoted 
some  Latin  ;  but  I've  grown  so  rusty — 
hem! — so  long  since  I've  had  time — 
hem ! — I  couldn't  follow  him.' 

^  '  Stop  a  minute,  Sarah  ;  let  me  pull 
out  your  flounce,  and  fix  your  sleeves 
and  braids  for  you,'  said  an  anxious 
mother  to  her  daughter.  '  There,  now, 
that  will  do ;  but  hold  yourself  up,  dear. 
In  a  ball-room,  people  look  shorter  than 
they  are  and  must  make  the  most  of 
themselves ;  and  don't  dance  with  those 
horrid  little  midshipmen,  if  you  can  find 
•uy  other  partners.' 


"'Why,  ma?' 

"'Exactly,'  said  Mrs.  Smythe,  rho 
appeared  to  be  endowed  with  ubiquity, 
'your  mother  is  right.  Do  you  know 
Captain  Beech,  or  Lieutenant  Birch  of 
the  Jupiter  ?  I  will  introduce  them  to 
you ;  they  are  both  well  connected,  and 
have  capital  interest.  Take  my  aim, 
but  don't  look  at  those  country  mem- 
bers, dear,  and  then  you  won't  have  to 
cut  them,  for  Sir  Hercules  don't  like 
that.  Appear  not  to  see  them,  that's 
the  most  civil  way  of  avoiding  them. 
Recollect,  too,  that  walls  have  ears — 
especially  when  they  are  covered  with 
flowers,  as  they  will  be  to-night.  Now, 
I'll  tell  you  a  secret,  dear ;  Major  Ma- 
cassar is  engaged  in  England,  so  don't 
waste  your  time  in  talking  to  him  thin 
evening.  Keep  close  to  me,  now,  and 
I'll  take  you  among  the  right  set,  and 
introduce  you  to  good  partners,  for  I 
see  preparations  making  for  moving 
out.' 

"  Here  Sir  Hercules  gave  his  arm  to 
Lady  Capstan,  Lord  Heather  following 
with  Lady  SampsoU;  and  led  the  way  to 
the  ball-room.  It  was  a  large  and  hand- 
some apartment,  tastefully  decorated, 
and  well  lighted ;  and  the  effect  pro- 
duced by  the  rich  and  various  uniforms 
of  the  military  and  navy  was  gay,  and 
evei\  brilliant —  more  so,  indeed,  than 
is  generally  seen  in  a  provincial  town 
in  England  ;  for  the  garrison  consisted 
of  three  regiments,  and  the  greater  part 
of  the  fleet  upon  the  station  was  in  port 
at  the  time.  At  the  upper  end  of  the 
room  were  the  governor,  Lady  Samp- 
son, the  admiral  and  his  lady,  and  the 
heads  of  the  civil  and  military  depart- 
ments of  the  place  and  their  families. 
Those  next  in  rank  adorned  the  sides 
of  the  room  ;  and  groups  of  those  who 
made  no  pretension  to  that  equivocal 
word, '  position,'  occupied  and  filled  the 
lower  end.  The  indiscriminate  hospi- 
tality that  had  thus  assembled  together 
people  ol  the  same  community,  wholly 
unknown  to  each  other  except  by  name, 
had  the  effect  of  causing  a  restraint  in 
the  manner  of  the  upper  class,  in  a  vain 
and  weak  desire  not  to  be  thought  on  a 
footing  of  equality  with  those  beneath 


ilVVv^'i'l'l 


;*,/ 


u-t' 


■■■«  ». 


•Hi: 


H 

It     ''^ 
if    ■■% 


I 
I 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


'>  'It' 


^'4 


If    '*! 


II ' 


them  ;  and,  on  the  other  side,  a  feeling 
that  this  difference  was  purposely  ren- 
dered palpable,  and  maintained,  if  not 
with  incivility,  at  least  with  a  total  want 
"f  courtesy.  Where  such  was  the  con- 
dition of  things,  the  wliole  naturally 
suffered  from  the  conduct  of  a  few  in- 
dividuals ;  and  those  who  exhibited  or 
assumed  airs  of  superiority,  on  the  one 
part,  or  rtsented  them  coarsely,  on  the 
other,  naturally  involved  the  right-think- 
ing people  of  both  in  the  censure  that 
belonged  peculiarly  to  themselves. 

"  '  Who  is  that  beautiful  girl  V  asked 
a  person  near  me  of  a  lady  belonging 
to  the  place. 

"  *  I  don't  know  her.' 

" '  And  that  extremely  interesting 
young  lady  V 

"  'I  am  not  aware ;  I  never  met  her 
before ;  she  is  not  of  our  set.' 

"  And  yet  it  was  manifest  she  knew 
her  name ;  had  seen  her  frequently, 
though  not,  perhaps,  in  the  same  room ; 
and  was  well  acquainted  with  the  con- 
dition and  respectable  character  of  her 
parents.  If  any  allowance  could  be 
made  for  this  absurd  fastidiousness, 
Bome  extenuation  might  be  found  for 
female  vanity  in  the  fact,  that  what  the 
lower  end  of  the  room  lost  in  station 
was  more  than  compensated  for  in 
beauty.  Trotz,  who  had  observed^  this 
littleness,  did  not  fail  to  use  it  to  the 
annoyance  of  those  who  had  been  weak 
enough  to  exhibit  it.  He  affected  great 
astonishment  at  their  not  knowing  peo- 
ple so  distinguished  for  beauty,  ease  of 

conversation, 
the  scale  of 
society,  the  more  he  extolled  them  for 
these  qualities,  and  pronounced  them 
decidedly  the  finest  women  in  the  coun- 
try. 

"  In  a  short  time  the  quadrilles  were 
formed,  and  all  (that  is,  all  the  younger 
part  uf  the  company)  were  in  motion ; 
and,  whatever  the  undercurrents  and 
unseen  eddies  of  feeling  might  have 
been,  all  appeared  gay  and  happy.  In- 
deed, some  of  the  young  ladies  from  the 
country  danced  with  a  vigor  and  energy 
that  showed  their  whole  hearts  were 
•ug^ged  in  displaying  what  they  con- 


manner,    and    agreeable 
The  lower  they  were  in 


sidered  most  valuable  qualities->-exer- 
tionand  endurance.  The  effect  of  the 
sudden  cessation  of  music  in  a  ball-room 
is  always  ludicrous,  as  the  noise  oom 
pels  people  to  talk  louder  than  asaal ; 
and,  when  it  terminates,  the  conver- 
sation is  continued  for  awhile  in  the 
same  key. 

" '  My  heart  is  as  free  as  the  eagle. 
sir,'  were  the  first  words  I  heard  from  a 
fair  promenader. 

"'Father  is  shocked  at  a  waltz.  I 
must  wait  till  be  goes  in  to  supper.' 

" '  Ma  says  slic'a  a  sheep  in  lamb's 
olothingi;  she  recollects  her,  forty  yeara 
ago,  dancing  with  a  boy  as  she  la  to- 
night.' 

" '  I  say,  Bill,  look  at  the  old  ladies  m- 
starboard  there,  how  they  haul  in  their 
claws  like  lobsters  when  the  promena- 
ding commences  I' 

"'Hush,  there's  Captain  Sheet  1' 

" '  I  hope  he's  not  in  the  wind !  Who 
is  that  he  has  got  in  tow  ?  She  looks 
like  a  heavy  sailer.'  ^.^r. 

" '  Hush,  he'll  hear  you  I'    »     ■  -^  ^^^ 

" '  It's  a  great  shame,  now,  to  wear 
spurs  in  a  ball  too  in  I  Major  Macassar 
has  torn  my  dre!>8,  and  scraped  my  ankle 
dreadfully.  I'm  really  quite  lame.  The 
gold  wire,  too,  has  made  my  neck  smart, 
as  if  it  was  stung  with  nettles.' 

" '  Well,  if  it's  any  satisfaction  to  re- 
taliate, you  have  certainly  punished  that 
Highland  o£Bicer  nicely,  for  the  beetle- 
wing  trimming  on  your  dress  has  scratch- 
ed his  knees  most  unmercifully  t    Bal 

0  Sarah  t  look  ut  Captain  Denham !  if 
his  epaulette  hasn't  drawn  off  a  false 
curl,  and  there  iie  carries  it  suspended 
from  his  shoulder  as  a  trophy '  Well,  I 
never  I  He  needn't  think  it  will  ever  be 
claimed  I  I  wonder  who  in  the  world  it 
belongs  to  1  How  glad  I  am  it  isn't  the 
color  of  my  hair  I' 

" '  0,  sir,  if  you  haven't  seen  Cariboo 
Island,  sir,  near  Pictoo,  you  haven't 
seen  the  prettiest  part  of  Nova  Scotia ! 

1  never  beheld  any  thing  so  lovely  as 
Cariboo  Island.  \V^e  have  such  pleas- 
ant clam  parties  there,  sir,  especially 
when  the  timber  vessels  arrive.' 

"  Lady  Sampson  had  but  one  topic 
which,  though  it  had  lasted  since  Ocin 


ber,  was  like 
winter  seasor 
of  Niagara  in 
with  wonder 
pow  describii 
miring  frien<: 

"  It  was  a 

'"It  migl 
ing,'  remark* 
thought  she 
which  were 
time  with  th< 

'"The  Fa 
voice. 

"'Ah!  th< 
render  the  oj 

"'Waterfi 

"*Ah,  exa 
is  Affected.' 

" '  Ni  ag-a-i 
voice  still  hi^ 
word  slowly. 

«'Ibegyc 
plied,  putting 
advancing  h' 
be^  your  pare 

"'Trotz!  < 
man  away  an; 
hidy,  and  the 

Kol  at  the  fo 
dian  warrii 
Fall,  and  was 
in  the  vortex 
an  upright  p( 
dive !  They 
at  last  the  fle 
parted  and  si 

«  She  then 
ing-room,  to  i 
that  the  milil 
for  her.  Trc 
minute  behin 

'"Though 
story  of  the 
my  eye.' 

'"So  I  she 

"  The  ant< 
passed  were  1 
cards,  or  tal 
small  table  s: 
man,  with  tt 
pink  streame 
ebase  in  th( 
aing,  and,  as 


A  BALL  AT  OOVERNMENT  HOUSfi. 


59 


J,'  remarked 
I  thought  she 


ing. 


ber,  wus  likely  to  endure  through  tho 
winter  season. '  She  had  visited  the  falls 
of  Niagara  in  the  »Qtamn,  and  was  filled 
with  wonder  and  amasement.  '  She  was 
now  describing  them  to  a  circle  of  ad- 
miring friends. 

"  It  was  a  miehty  cataract  I'  she  said. 

"•It  might  be  removed  by  conch- 
a  deaf  staiF-doctor,  who 
was  talking  of  her  eyes, 
which  were  greatly  distended  at  the 
time  with  the  marvellous  story. 

" '  The  Falls  I'  she  said,  raising  her 
roice. 

"  <  Ah  I  the  effect  of  a  fall— that  will 
render  the  operation  doubtful.' 

"'Water-fall!' 

"<Ah,  exactly,  the  lachrymal  gland 
is  Affected.' 

"  <  Ni  ag-a-ra !'  she  said,  raising  her 
voice  still  higher^  and  pronouncing  the 
word  slowly. 

^ '  I  beg  your  pardon  madam,'  he  re- 
plied, putting  his  hand  to  hia  ear,  and 
advancing  bis  head  much  nearer;  'I 
b^  your  pardon,  but  I  didn't  hear.' 

" '  Trotz !  do,  pray,  take  that  horrid 
man  away  and  explain  to  him,'  said  the 
Isdy,  and  then  continued.  '  I  saw  the 
pool  at  the  foot  of  the  rock  where  the 
Indian  warrior  rose  after  going  over  the 
Fall,  and  was  whirled  round  and  round 
in  the  vortex  for  a  great  many  days,  in 
an  upright  position,  as  if  he  wore  still 
alive  I  They  say  it  was  a  fearful  sight ; 
st  last  the  flesh  dissolved,  and  the  frame 
parted  and  sunk  I' 

"  She  then  led  the  way  to  the  draw- 
ing-room, to  show  a  sketch  of  Niagara, 
that  the  military  secretary  had  prepared 
for  her.  Trotz  detained  the  doctor  a 
minute  behind,  and  I  heard  him  say — 

" '  Though  the  cataract  was  not,  that 
story  of  the  Indian  really  was  ^  all  in 
my  eye.' 

"'So  I  should  think,'  was  the  reply. 

"  The  anterooms  through  which  we 
passed  were  filled  with  persons  playing 
cards,  or  taking  refreshments.  At  a 
small  table  sat  my  friend,  the  midship- 
man, with  tho  little  strange  sail  with 
pink  streamers,  to  whom  he  had  given 
enase  in  the  early  part  of  tho  evo- 
ning,  and,  as  he  said,  brought  to.    They 


were  just  oommenoing  a  sociable  game  of 
chess. 

"'Suppose,'  said  the  jolly  tar  to  hia 
fair  friend — '  suppose  that  wo  strip  as 
we  go  ?     It's  gre.it  fun.' 

" '  I  don't  understand  you,'  said  the 
young  lady,  with  au  offended  toaa  of 
her  pretty  head. 

" '  What  I  not  know  what  strip  as  w« 
go  ia  ?' 

'"I  don't  know  whU  you  mean,  sir  I' 

"'Why,  this  ia  the  rule.  Any  thing 
you  av  '  ,  you  are  bound  to  take,  and 
St.  the  fa  ''.  as  you  go  on.  It  a.  <»ri- 
ens  the  gan^o  amazingly.' 

"  Lady  Sampson  now  opened  a  large 
book  containing  the  promised  aket(m, 
and  unfolded  and  extended  out  a  narrow 
atrip  of  paper  of  immense  length,  painted 
green,  and  reaembling  an  enormous 
snake,  and  explained  it  all  in  detail. 

" '  There  is  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,' 
she  said ;  '  and  there's  Quebec  ;  and 
there's  Montreal ;  and  there  are  the 
lakca  ;  and  there — just  there — no,  not 
there — a  little  higher  up — just  between 
your  thumb  and  finger — is  Niagara — 
vast,  mighty,  and  grand  Niagara  I  Don't 
you  see  the  grand  Falls,  Mrs.  Section  T 
There,  that  little  white  speck — that's 
it !  It's  80  mighty,  that  neither  the  eye 
nor  the  mind  can  take  it  all  in  at  once ! 
Captain  Howard  drew  it  I  Ain't  it  beau- 
tifully done?  He  drawa  so  well!  He 
can  draw  any  thing  I' 

" '  I  muat  introduce  him  to  you,'  whis 
pered  Mra.  Smythe  to  Miss  Schwein 
eimer. 

" '  Yes,'  said  Trotz  to  Lord  Edward, 
'  he  can  draw  any  thing — a  long  bow,  a 
long  cork — any  thing  but  a  bill,  and 
that  he  won't  draw  for  any  one  I' 

" '  How  very  good !'  replied  Lord  Ed- 
ward. 

" '  Here  is  an  epitome  of  it — ^an  abridg* 
ment — the  idea,  as  it  were,  itself,  though 
not  developed ;'  and  she  exhibited  a  very 
good  and  accurate  sketch  taken  by  her 
daughter,  infinitely  better  done  and  more 
intelligible  than  the  other.  '  What  do 
you  think,  Mrs.  Smythe,  of  my  transfer- 
ring this  to  embroidery — working  it  for 
a  screen  or  a  cushion  ?  No,  a  cushion 
wouldn't  do,  either;    it's  inconvenient 


«0 


THE  OLD  JUDOBt  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONS. 


4» 


to  have  to  rise  every  time  yon  with  to 
show  it.     But  for  a  screen,  eb  V 

"  Another  party,  an  exploring  one,  that 
was  reconnoitering  what  waa  ffoing  on  in 
the  drawing-room,  now  arriTed ;  and  the 
loud  prolonged  sound  of  Niagara  was 
again  heard  in  the  distance,  amidst  the 
confused  hum  of  many  yoioee,  ai  I  re- 
turned  to  the  ball-room.  The  dancing 
being  about  to  be  resumed,  I  took  a  Mat 
near  a  Mrs.  Blair,  an  old  lady  who  came 
for  the  purpose  of  chaperoning  her 
daughter  that  evening.'  I  bad  known 
her  in  her  youth,  but  bad  not  met  her 
of  late  years,  and  was  shocked  to  see  the 
change  that  time  had  effected  both  in 
her  appearance  and  disposition.  The 
playful  humor,  for  whicn  she  was  re- 
markable when  young,  bad  degenerated 
into  severe  sarcasm ;  the  effects,  proba- 
bly, of  ill  health,  or  of  decreased  for- 
tune. 

^ '  Who  would  have  thought  of  leeing 
you  here,  Judge?'  said  she. 

» '  The  truth  is,  my  dear  Mrs,  Blair,' 
I  replied, '  I  have  not  been  at  a  ball  for 
many  years,  and  probably  never  shall  be 
again  ;  and  as  I  dined  here  to-day,  and 
was  in  the  house  when  the  company  ar- 
rived, I  thought  I  would  stay  and  take 
one  long  last  look  at  a  scene  which  re- 
calls no  many  recollections  of  by-gone 
days ;  and,  besides,  it  always  does  me 
.good  to  see  happy  faces  about  me.' 

"'Happiness  in  a  ballroom  I'  she 
ejaculated,  with  some  bitterness  of  feel- 
ing;  'I  thought  you  were  too  much  of 
a  philosopher  to  believe  in  suoli  a  decep- 
tion !  Look  at  that  old  wall-eyed  colo- 
nel, now  (excuse  the  coarseness  of  the 
expression,  but  I  have  no  patience  with 
people  of  his  age  forgettinff  their  years) 
— ^look  at  that  wall-eyed  colonel,  with  an 
obliquity  of  vision,  and  the  map  of  Eu- 
rope traced  in  red  stains  on  bis  face  I 
Happy  fellow,  is  he  not  ?  See,  lie  is  ac- 
tually going  to  dance  t  It  will  puzsle 
those  two  sisters  to  know  which  he  is 
addressing.' 

^  She  had  scarcely  uttered  the  words, 
when  both  the  young  ladies  rose  at  once, 
each  thinking  he  had  asked  for  the  hon- 
or of  her  hand. 

^ '  How  happy  he  must  feel,'  she  con- 


tinued, *  in  having  such  an  ocular  prool 
of  the  want  of  unity  or  expression  ii 
his  eyes  I   O !  look  at  that  old  lady  witl' 
a  flame-colored  satin  dress,  and  an  enor 
mous  bag  hanging  on  her  arm,  witil 
tulips  embroidered  on  it,  and  a  strangt 
looking  cap  with  a  bell-rope  attached  J 
one  side  of  it,  fanning  a  prodigious  boJ 
quet  of  flowers  in  her  belt,  as  if  to  iem 
tnem  from  fainting  with  the  heat,  ani 
losing  their  color!      0,  observe  tlut 
member  woman,  that  'lady  from  tht 
rural  districts,'  habited  in  a  gaudy  col' 
ored  striped  silk  dress,  trimmed  all  ovei 
with  little  pink  bows,  having  yelloi 
glass  buttons  in  the  centre ;  a  cap  witt 
out  a  back,  stuffed  full  of  feathers,  lib 
Cinderella's  godmother ;  and  enormoii» 
ly  long  gloves  full  of  wrinkles,  like  tbt 
skin  of  an   elephant!    They  are  botll 
happy,  but  it  is  the  happiness  of  fooli 
Happiness  in  a  ball-room  t  Ah,  Judn 
you  and  I  are  too  old  for  such  twaddlej 
I  wish  you  had  been  here  when  the  yd 
low-fever  was  raging!     In  a  garrisoi 
town^  the  young  ladies  have  the  scarleV 
fever  all  the  year  round ;  but  last  yeu 
the  yellow-fever  predominated  ;  for  yoi 
know  two  diseases  cannot  exist  in  thtl 
constitution  at  one  time.     At  a  sale  d 
wrecked  goods,  a  fashionable  millinei 
bought  a  Tot  of  maize-colored  satins  m 
cheap  as  to  be  able  to  sell  them  for  i 
mere  trifle  ;  but  disposed  of  them  skil- 
fully, by  exhibiting  only  a  few  at  a  time 
The  consequence  was,  a  great  number 
of  young  ladies  made  their  appearance 
here  in  what  each  one  considered  a  rare 
fabric :  and,  to  their  horror,  found  the 
room  full  of  them  !   I  christened  it  then, 
and  it  has  ever  since  been  known  aa 
♦  the  bilious  ball'   Do  you  suppose  those 
maize-colored     satins     covered    happj 
hearts  that  night  ?  There  is  Ella  M'Nair, 
now  dancing  with  her  awkward  countr; 
cousin,  whom  she  is  afraid  to  refuse,  yet 
unwilling  to  accept  as  a  partner,  alarm' 
cd  for  the  horror  of  Lord  Heathef,  the 
sneers  of  Trotz,  and  the  triumph  of  the 
Shermans.    Sweet  girl !  how  joyous  she 
looks,  does  she  not  i 

"  '  O,  look  at  that  supercilious  little 
fellow  near  the  fireplace,  whose  elboir 
is  resting  on  the  mantle-piece  I    Tht 


k.«^  *•**.■■ 


A  BALL  AT  GOVERNMENT  HOUSE. 


61 


I 


tdnoation  hi«  foolisb  father  gaye  him 
ipoiled  him  for  the  kitchen,  without  fit- 
iDg  him  for  the  parlcr.  Instead  of  being 
a  cheerful,  thrifty  tradesman,  he  has 
been  metamorphosed  into  a  poor,  shabby, 
discontented  gentleman.  He  looks  like 
»  grasshopper  on  half-pay  I  You  see 
the  same  thing  every  where.  Observe 
that  very  pretty  and  remarkably  well- 
dressed  lady  opposite.  She  is  a  widow 
of  large  fortune  and  good  connections. 
Her  affections  are  all  absorbed  by  that 
loot  of  a  boy  she  is  talking  to,  who  is 
her  only  child.  His  bent  knees  and 
stooping  shoulders  give  you  the  idea  of 
s  ploughboy,  while  his  fashionable  dress 
would  lead  you  to  suppose  he  had  cloth- 
ed himself,  by  fraud  or  mistake,  from 
his  master's  wardrobe.  She  is  beseech- 
ing him  to  stand  properly,  and  behave 
like  a  gentleman ;  and,  above  all,  to 
dance ;  to  all  which  he  is  becoming 
more  and  more  rebellious  ;  and  now  he 
has  jerked  away  his  arm,  and  is  diving 
into  that  crowd  of  men  near  the  fire,  to 
eso^pe  from  her  importunities  and  the 
observation  of  others.  Her  wealth  and 
station  have  given  her  but  little  happi- 
ness, and  her  maternal  cares  and  de- 
voted affection  are  the  torment  of  her 
son.  Did  you  use  that  word  happiness, 
therefore,  Judge,  as  a  commonplace 
phrase,  or  did  it  express  what  you  really 
meant  ?' 

" '  I  meant  what  I  said,'  I  replied. 
'Happiness  is  rather  a  negative  than 
(wsitive  term  in  this  world,  and  consists 
more  in  the  absence  of  some  things  than 
in  the  presence  of  others.  I  see  no 
harm  in  assemblies  where  they  are  not 
the  business,  but  the  relaxation  of  life, 
as  they  certainly  are  in' the  country. 
People  come  together  for  the  purpose 
of  pleading  and  being  pleased,  of  seeing 
and  being  seen,  to  be  amused  themselves 
and  to  contribute  their  share  to  the 
amusement  of  others.  They  come  with 
a  disposition  and  a  hope  to  be  happy. 
Music  and  dancing  exhilarate  the  spir- 
its, hilarity  is  contagious,  and,  generally 
speaking,  people  do  enjoy  themselves, 
and  I  derive  great  gratification  in  wit- 
Dessing  their  happiness.  That  was  what 
(  meant;  for  1   never  supposed  there 


could  be  an  assemblAge  of  two  or  three 
hundred  people,  without  there  being 
some  individuals  unable  or  unwilling  to 
partake  of  the  gaiety  about  them.' 

"Just  then  Miss  Schweineimer,  the 
young  lady  that  called  her  horse  a  beast, 
and  myself  an  ugly  old  fellow,  passed, 
hanging  on  the  arm  of  a  subaltern  offi- 
cer, into  whose  face  she  was  looking  up 
with  evident  satisfaction,  while  listening 
to  his  flattering  accents. 

" '  Oh,  charming  !'  she  said.  '  If  I 
haven't  enjoyed  myself  to-night,  it's  a 
pity,  that's  all!  How  do  you  feel?  I 
feel  kind  of  all  over.  It's  the  hand- 
somest party  I  ever  saw  in  all  my  life  ! 
How  I  hke  Halifax  I  I  wish  father  lived 
here  instead  of  the  Blueberry  Plains  !* 

" '  There,  madam,'  I  said, '  let  us  abide 
by  the  decision  of  that  unsophisticated 
girl.  I  forgive  hfg  nasal  twang  and 
her  ignorance,  for  the  simplicity  and 
truthfulness  of  her  nature,'  and  I  ef- 
fected my  escape  from  my  cynical  com- 
panion. 

"  Conversation  such  as  hers  is  de- 
pressing  to  the  .pirits,  and  lowers  one's 
estimate  of  mankind.  It  puts  you  out 
of  sorts ;  for  such  is  the  mysterious  ef- 
fect of  sympathy,  that  a  discontented 
person  soon  infuses  a  portion  of  his  own 
feeling  into  the  miud  of  his  auditors.  1 
did  not,  however,  derive  much  benefit 
from  change  of  place,  for  the  gentleman 
who  next  accosted  mc  was  imbued  with 
much  of  the  same  captions  spirit. 

'* '  I  have  been  pitying  you  for  some 

time,  Judge,'  he  said.    '  How  could  you 

think  of  remaining  so  long  with  that 

bitter    specimen    of    humanity,    Mrs. 

Blair  ?    She  speaks  well  of  no  one,  and 

has  been  amusing  herself  by  feeling  the 

silks  and  satins  of  her  neighbors  this 

evening,  so  as  to  find  fault  with  their 

texture,  if  thin,  and  the  extravagance 

of  their  owners,  if  otherwise.     She  has 

been  grumbling  to  every  one  that  the 

room  is  so  badly  lighted,  good  dresses 

are  lost  in  the  dim  and  gloomy  apart- 

i  ment.     I  shall  propose  to  Sir  Herculec 

I  to  have  shelves  put  up  on  the  wall  for 

those  old  chaperons,  with  chandeliers  in 

I  front  of  them  to  show  off  their  velvets 

I  to  the  best  advantage  ;  when  they  will 


■t0i''\^i 


62 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OK,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


'J 


^ 

'^ 


I    ■•■ 


I     4 


It 


be  out  of  all  danger  tbemselTes  from 
heels  .u  spurs,  and  be  deprived  of  the 
power  of  annoying  otberQ.  Capital  idea, 
isn't  it^  A  very  vulgar  party  this, 
Judee  ?  When  the  guests  that  are  in- 
vited do  come,  it's  not  fair  to  send  to 
the  highways  and  byways  for  others. 
In  the  olden  time,  we  are  told,  it  was 
only  when  a  man's  friends  declined,  that 
a  pr68s-warrant  issued  to  man  the  tables 
with  the  first  poor  devils  that  could  bo 
found  going  to  bed  suppcrlebs.' 

"The  party  now  began  to  move  to- 
wards the  supper-room,  which  generally 
presents  more  attractions  to  persons 
who  stand  less  in  need  of  refreshments 
than  those  who  have  been  fatigued  or 
exhausted  with  dancing.  The  tables 
were  tastefully  and  beautifully  arrang- 
ed :  but  the  effect  was  much  injured  by 
the  profuse  and  sultttantial  character  of 
some  of  the  viand^  which  the  number 
and  quality  of  the  guests  rendered  ne- 
cessary, whatever  doubt  there  might 
have  been  as  to  the  possibility  of  a  ball 
conferring  happiness,  there  could  be 
none  as  to  the  enjoyment  derived  from 
the  supper.  In  approving  or  partaking, 
nearly  all  seemed  to  join :  few  claimed 
exemption  frovd  age,  and  no  one  ob- 
jected to  a  viid-vis ;  and  if  some  had 
danced  with  all  iheir  hearts,  an  infinitely 
greater  numbev  eat  and  drank  with  as 
much  relish  as  if  eating  and  drinking 
were  as  unusual  a  thing  as  waltzing.  I 
looked,  but  in  vain,  for  my  cynical  com- 
panion, Mrs.  Blaif,  to  draw  her  attention 
to  my  friend,  the  midshipman,  who  had 
evidently  made  a  prize  of  the  strange 
sail,  and  was  behaving  with  the  utmost 
generosity  and  kindness  to  the  van- 
quished. He  insisted  upon  filling  her 
plate  with  every  thing  witiiin  reach ; 
and  when  it  could  hold  no  more,  sur- 
rounded it  with  tenders,  deeply  laden 
with  every  variety  of  supply.  Nor  did 
he  forget  champagne,  in  which  he  drank 
to  the  fair  one's  health,  to  their  better 
acquaintance,  and  to  a  shcrt  cruise  and 
speedy  return ;  and  then  protesting  it 
was  all  a  mistake  to  suppose  he  had 
already  done  so,  apologized  for  his  neg- 
lect, and  repeated  the  draughts  till  his 
eyes  sparkled  as  bright  as  the  wine.  He 
tut  the  large  cake  before  him,  and  help- 


ed his  partner  to  a  liberal  share,  coq. 
plaining  all  the  time  that  the  knife  wat 
desperately  dull ;  that  it  was  the  sevcreil 
cutting-out  service  he  was  ever  employed 
in  ;  and  vowed  that  the  steward  ouf(hl 
to  have  three  dozen  for  his  carelesHnew 
He  succeeded,  however,  at  last  in  effect 
ing  the  incision,  and  brought  away  sev- 
eral folds  of  a  three-cornered  piece  of 
napkin  exactly  fitting  the  slice,  which 
had  impeded  the  progress  of  his  knife. 
As  ho  deposited  this  trophy  of  his  skill 
and  strength  on  the  plate,  he  said,  in  so 
under  tone,  'It  only  wanted  a  ring  to 
make  it  complete  ;'  whereat  the  young 
lady's  face  was  suffused  with  blushei 
and  smiles,  and,  holding  up  her  glass, 
she  said,  '  A  very  little  wine,  if  yog 
please.'  Complying  with  this  request 
and  filling  his  own,  they  pledged  each 
other  again  ;  and  something  was  looked, 
and  something  was  thought,  and  some- 
thing was  felt,  though  not  expressed  on 
that  occasion,  that,  notwithstanding  Mn. 
Blair's  theory  to  the  contrary,  looked  to 
me  uncommonly  like  happiness. 

"Miss  Sohweineimer  was  no  less 
pleased,  though  she  thought  that  the 
sandwiches  were  rather  bitey ;  and  the 
little  red  things  in  the  pickles,  to  which 
Trotz  had  helped  her,  the  hottest,  not 
to  be  a  fire,  she  had  ever  tasted,  for  they 
burned  her  tongue  so  as  to  make  tears 
trickle  down  her  cheeks. 

" '  Do  look  I'  said  a  young  lady  near 
me  to  Mrs.  S  my  the — '  do  look  at  that 
strange  creature  covered  with  pink 
bows,  and  yellow  glass  buttons  in  them ; 
she  is  actually  eating  her  supper  back- 
wards.! She  began  with  fruits,  and  then 
proceeded  to  confectionary  and  jellies, 
and  so  on,  and  is  now  winding  up  with 
the  breast  and  leg  of  a  turkey  I  Who  is 
she,  and  where  does  she  come  from?' 

" '  Her  name  is  Whetstone  ;  I  will 
introduce  you  to  her,  by  and  by.' 

"  '  No,  thank  you,  I'd  rather  not."' 

"  '  The  place  is  unpronounceable.  It 
is  Scissiboo-goomish-oogomah,  an  Indian 
word,  signifying  '  the  Witch's  Fountain' 

" '  Ah,  indeed !  she  is  a  fit  representa- 
tive.' 

*'  The  inventor  of  shelves  for  the 
chaperons  now  accosted  me  again. 

" '  I  should  have  liked,  Judge,  to  have 


A  HALL  AT  GOVERNMENT  HOUSE. 


63 


lud  the  pleasure  of  taking  vrlne  with 
you,  but  really  Sampson's  wine  is  not  fit 
to  drink ;  he  s-icnis  to  have  lowered  his 
standard  of  taste  to  suit  tlie  majority  of 
bis  guests.  Did  you  ever  sec  any  thing 
BO  disgusting  as  tlie  quantities  of  things 
with  which  the  tables  are  loaded,  or  the 
gross  appetites  with  wiiich  thoy  were 
devoured  ?  It  is  something  quite  shock- 
ing! He  is  ruining  the  state  of  society 
hert.  These  people  realize  our  ideas 
of  the  harpies  : — 

'  Diripuuntquu  dapes,  contactuque  omnia  fcedant 
In  mundo.  \ 

By  the  way,  a  little  man,  with  a  face 
like  a  squeezed  lemon,  has  done  me  the 
honor  to  notice  me  once  or  twice  to- 
night, with  a  half  familiar  and  half  obse- 
quious nod.  whom  I  have  been  at  a  loss 
to  make  out.  The  supper-table  has  be- 
trayed him  at  last,  for  its  resemblance 
to  his  own  counter  (for  he  keeps  a  oon- 
feotionary-shop  in  the  country)  put  him 
at  ease  in  a  moment.  Ho  is  the  most 
useful  person  here.' 

'*  A  message  from  Sir  Hercules  to  his 
ude,  Mr.  Trotz,  brought  him  to  his  feet, 
muttering,  as  he  rose,  his  discontent  in 
yery  audible  tones.  The  renewal  of  the 
music  in  the  ball-room  at  the  same  time 
intimated  that  the  last  dance  was  aBout 
to  be  commenced. 

" '  You  ain't  going,  Mr.  Trotz,  are 
you  V  said  Miss  Schweineimer,  who  had 
UQOonsciously  been  the  object  of  many 
impertinent  remarks  during  the  last 
half  hour.  '  Pray  try  one  of  these  cus- 
tards before  y-^u  go ;  they  are  so  good  ! 
Do,  just  to  please  me.  You  kriow  I  ate 
those  fiery  pickles,  because  you  asked 
me,'  and  she  handed  him  a  liquid  one 
contained  in  a  small  circular  glass. 

"  To  the  astonishment  of  every  body, 
he  complied  with  her  request ;  but,  be- 
ing in  a  hurry  to  attend  to  the  gover- 
nor's wishes,  drank  it  off  without  the  aid 
of  a  spoon,  and  replaced  the  glass  on  the 
table.  In  a  moment  he  became  dread- 
fiiUy  pale,  and,  putting  his  handkerchief 
to  his  face,  exclaimed — 

" '  Good  heavens,  the  mustard-p»t  I' 
and  left  the  room  in  convulsive  agony 
from  the  effects  of  this  powerful  emetic, 
and  disappeared  amid    the    malioiouB 


laughter  and  uproarious  delight  of  all 
those  whom  he  had  at  one  time  or  an- 
other annoyed  by  his  insolence. 

'• '  Well,  I  neve;- !'  said  the  young 
lady ;  '  it  looks  as  like  a  custard  glass  as 
two  peas,  don't  it?  and  it's  the  identical 
color,  too  !  I  am  sorry  it's  done,  but  I'd 
rather  it  had  hupponcd  to  Mm  than  any 
one  else  ;  for  1  believe  in  my  soul  he 
gave  me  the  red  hot  pickles  a-purpose. 
I  am  up  sides  with  him,  at  any  rate.' 

" '  So  would  I,  my  dear,'  said  Mrs. 
Smytho,  '  but  don't  say  so ;  hero  you 
must  always  appear  to  be  sorry  for  an 
accident.  Let  mc  introduce  you  to  Mr. 
Able,  assistant  surgeon  of  the  Jupiter  ; 
for  this  is  the  last  dance,  and  he'll  tell 
you  where  the  red  pickles  grow.  I  reallj 
love  you  for  putting  that  trick  upon 
that  horrid  Trotz.' 

"'I  assure  ^ou  it  was  a  mistake " 

''' That's  rigbf,  dear,  look  innooent, 
and  say  it  was  a  mistake.' 

"  •  But  1  assure  you' 

"  '  Oh,  of  course  !  you  really  do  it 
very  well.     You  are  a  capital  scholar !' 

"  T'je  last  dance  lasted  for  a  long 
time ;  for  the  termination  of  every  thing 
agreeable  is  always  deferred  to  the  ut- 
most moment  of  time.  At  length  the 
band  played  '  God  save  the  King,'  which 
was  the  signal  for  parting,  and  the  com- 
pany took  leave  and  disappeared  in  a 
few  minutes,  with  the  exception  of  the 
awkward  squad  that  first  arrived.  Ow- 
ing to  their  having  made  a  mistake  in 
the  hour,  or  forgotten  to  give  orders  as 
to  the  time  their  carriages  were  to  come 
for  them,  they  were  again  doomed  to 
annoy  the  gubernatorial  party,  aad  to 
be  no  less  perplexed  and  bored  them- 
selves. 

'^  Such  were  my  last  reminiscences  of 
Government  House ;  and,  from  what  I 
hear,  it  has  not  at  all  improved  of  late 
years.  Don't  let  me  be  misunderstood, 
however.  I  do  not  give  you  this  as  a 
sketch  of  society  at  Halifax,  but  of  a 
promiscuous  ball  at  'overumeut  House : 


nor  are  the  pcopl' 
scribed  samples  of 
but  some  of  them  i 
part  of  it  who  oug' 
there." 


Vvhom  I  have   de- 

le  whole  company ; 

specimens  of  that 

'uevor  to  huve  been 


fV-,?;j 


■•  J    :m 


^H 


« 

f  ,»i 


THE  OLD  ADMIRAL  AND  THE  OLD  GENERAL 


II 


I 

I 


!'-■ 


J    1 


I 


The  quiet  inn  in  which  I  haye  been 
domiciled  ever  since  I  arrived  at  lUinoo 
was  yesterday  the  scene  of  the  greatest 
disorder  and  confusion.  Shortly  after 
breakfast,  a  party  of  midshipmen, 
mounted  on  horseback,  dashed  into  the 
courtyard  during  a  violent  thunder- 
storm, with  the  speed  and  clatter  of  a 
charge  of  cavalry.  The  merry  crew  at 
once  dispersed  themselves  over  every 
part  of  the  house,  which  rang  with  their 
loud  and  long-continued  peals  of  laugh- 
ter. Their  number  was  soon  increased 
by  the  addition  of  three  or  four  young 
women,  who  joined  in  their  play  with 
equal  noise  and  delight,  chasing  their 
tormentors,  or  flying  in  afi'right  at  their 
rudeness,  or  quietly  enjoying  with  them 
a  mme  of  leapfrog  in  the  passages. 

My  landlady,  Mrs.  Smith,  was  in  de- 
spair. All  her  remonstrances  were  met 
either  with  the  response  that  she  was  a 
beauty  without  paint,  an  angel,  a  cherub, 
and  a  divine  creature,  or  an  invitation 
to  join  in  their  sport.  An  officer's  wife, 
who  was  awaiting  the  arrival  of  her  hus- 
band from  Fredericton,  was  so  alarmed 
and  annoyed  at  the  indecent  behavior 
of  the  juvenile  party,  that  she  summoned 
the  hostess,  and  announced  her  inten- 
tion of  immediately  leaving  the  house. 

"  I  am  shocked  and  frightened  beyond 
measure,"  she  said, ''  at  your  permitting 
those  young  gentlemen  to  make  such  a 
riot ;  but,  more  than  all,  am  I  horrified 
at  the  behavior  of  your  housemaids,  who 
are  the  most  forward,  romping,  and 
shameless  young  women  I  ever  beheld. 
I  just  now  rang  my  bell,  which  was  an- 
Rwercd  by  the  one  who  calls  herself 
Charlotte,  the  pretty  girl  with  the  curly 


head  of  golden  hair.  '  Fasten  my  dress,' 
said  I.  '  Yes,  ma'am,'  she  replied ;  and 
before  I  knew  what  she  was  about,  or 
could  find  words  to  express  my  surprise, 
my  stays  were  nearly  undone,  and  my 
clothes  unfastened.  '01  I  beg  your 
pardon,  ma'am,'  she  said,  on  being  repri- 
manded for  the  mistake ;  '  I  thought 
you  said  unrig.  I'll  reeve  it  up  in  a 
minute.'  When  this  was  efifected,  she 
said,  '  I'm  blowed  if  I  can  find  the 
hooks  I  are  they  on  the  larboard  or  star- 
board side?' — '■  Don't  use  those  dreadful 
words,'  I  replied:  'you  have  learned 
them  from  those  rude  young  midship- 
men, who  appear  to  have  turned  your 
head.  Take  care  of  yourself;  for  they 
wre  reckless  creatures — here  to-day,  and 
gone  to-morrow,  and  do  not  care  what 
they  say  or  do.'  What  do  you  think, 
Mrs.  Smith,  was  the  reply  of  that  bold, 
impudent  creature?  I  could  scaroelT 
believe  my  ears.  '  0,  ma'am,  she  HJa, 
'  they  are  such  nice  young  gentlemen, 
and  so  handsome,  too,  a  body  can't  re- 
fuse them  any  thing;  and,  besides,  I 
don't  see  any  great  harm  in  kissing.    If 

you  were  to  try' '  Leave  my  presence 

directly,'  I  said  ; '  how  dare  you  address 
me  in  that  manner  I  Where  is  your 
mistress  V — '  Up  aloft,  ma'am.'  '  Aloft 
again  I  poor  lost  creature,  dead  to  all 
sense  of  shame,  whatever  :  I  pity  you, 
from  the  bottom  of  my  heart  Send 
your  mistress  to  me.'  Now,  Mrs.  Smith, 
I  have  never  been  so  vexed  and  insulted 
in  my  life,  and  I  have  sent  for  you  tc 
inform  you  I  shall  remove  to  another 
inn." 

My  poor  unoffending  landlady  excused 
herself  as  well  as  she  was  able  for  an  oc- 


are,  in  my  opin 


f 


THE  OLD  ADMIRAL  AND  THE  OLD  GENERAL. 


60 


IS  your 

'Aloft 

1  to  all 

ity  you. 

Send 

Smith, 

Huaulted 

you  to 

another 


aorrenoe  which  she  could  neither  foresee 
nor  control.  She  said  she  was  happy  to 
uy,for  the  credit  of  her  household,  that 
she  had  no  such  maid  as  Charlotte,  nor 
one  female  in  her  establishment  that 
would  think  of  acting  or  talking  as  she 
luwl  done.  That  that  person  must  have 
been  the  Honorable  Mr.  Hawpon,  who, 
with  two  others,  borrowed  female  attire, 
while  their  own  was  drying  at  the  fire, 
as  they  had  no  clothes  witn  them  but 
what  they  had  on  when  they  arrived : 
and  that  the  romping  girls  who  plaved 
leapfrog  were,  in  fact,  no  other  than 
miashipmen.  She  added,  that  nothing 
of  the  kind  could  occur  again,  as  thev 
had  just  set  out  on  their  return  to  Hal- 
ifax ;  and  she  hoped  that  nobody  would 
be  ridden  over  or  killed,  for  they  started 
at  full  gallop,  waving  their  caps  and 
cheering  each  other  as  they  went. 

The  Judge  was  a  good  deal  amused 
at  the  story,  and  laughed  heartily  over 
it 

"  I  am  a  good  sailor,"  he  said,  "  and 
fond  of  the  sea,  and  so  well  acquainted 
with  the  manly  bearing  and  noble  qual- 
ities of  our  seamen,  that  I  make  every 
allowance  fur  the  irrepressible  delight 
and  inexhaustible  fun  and  frolic  of  these 
youngsters,  when  just  landed  from  a 
cruise.  Whatever  croakers  may  say 
about  tiie  condition  of  the  navy,  it  is  in 
as  efficient  a  state  as  ever  it  was,  and 
when  occasion  requires,  will  give  as  good 
an  account  of  itself.  The  Lieutenants 
are,  in  my  opinion,  as  a  class,  in  refer- 
ence to  their  numbers,  the  most  active, 
intelligent,  and  valuable  body  of  men 
to  he  found  in  any  branch  of  public  ser- 
vice in  any  country  in  the  world.  In 
former  years,  I  used  to  see  a  great  deal 
of  the  navy,  but,  alas!  all  my  old  friends 
are  now  either  superannuated  or  dead. 

"During  the  war,  when  the  whole 
fleet  of  one  hundred  sail  rendezvoused 
at  Halifax,  such  scenes  as  vou  have 
described  were  of  constant  occurrence, 
and  the  town  was  daily  amused  or  dis- 
turbed by  pranks  of  the  sailors.  I  re- 
member one  piece  of  absurdity  that  oc- 
casioned a  ^od  deal  of  laughter  at  the 
time.  At  the  period  I  am  speaking  of, 
before  the  expensive  under-ground  res- 
5 


orroirs  were  out  out  of  tb«  rook  on 
which  the  town  stands,  the  streets  were 
sometimes  rendered  almost  impassable, 
from  standing  pools  of  water.  A  sailor, 
seeing  a  lady  contemplating  in  despair 
one  of  these  lagoons,  took  her  up  most 
gallantly  in  his  arms,  and,  wading 
through  it,  safely  deposited  her  on  the 
other  side.  Alarmed  at  the  suddenness 
of  the  transportation,  she  scolded  her 
escort,  in  no  measured  terms,  for  the 
liberty  he  had  taken,  when  he  mounted 
her  again  on  his  shoulders,  and,  carry- 
ing her  back,  replaced  her  where  he  had 
found  her,  humbly  begging  pardon,  an- . 
hoping  he  had  rectified  his  error. 

"  The  story  of  the  man  who  laid  a 
drunken  ebipmate  at  the  feet  of  Captain 
Co^/i,  saying,  '  Here's  a  dead  man  for 
your  was  ouo  that  that  eccentric  officer 
was  always  very  fond  of  relating,  as  illus- 
trative of  the  humor  of  poor  Jack. 

"  Nova  Scotia  was  then  the  principal 
naval  station  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic, 
but  now  shares  that  honor  with  Ber- 
muda ;  the  Admiral  residing  in  the 
summer  at  the  former,  and  during  the 
winter  months  at  the  latter  place.  The 
noble  harbor  of  Halifax  is  one  of  the 
best  perhaps  in  the  world :  its  contiguity 
to  Canada  and  the  United  States,  its 
accessibility  at-  all  seasons  of  the  year, 
and  its  proximity  to  England,  (being 
the  most  Eastern  part  of  this  continent,) 
give  it  a  decided  advantage  over  its  ri- 
S.4 ;  while  the  frightful  destruction  of 
stores  at  Bermuoa,  from  the  effects  of 
the  climate,  its  insalubrity,  au  ;  'he 
dangers  with  which  it  is  besec,  !>  ,ve 
never  failed  to  excite  astonib'hment  at 
the  want  of  judgment  shown  in  its  se- 
lection, and  the  utter  disre/rord  of  ex- 
pense with  which  it  has  been  attended. 
The  dockyard  at  Halif  i.\  is  a  beautiful 
establishment,  in  excellent  ordei',  and 
perfect  of  its  kind,  with  the  singular 
exception  of  not  having  the  accomTioda- 
tion  of  a  dock,  from  which  it  deri^  es  its 
name.  This  deficiency  was  severe  y  felt 
during  the  late  war,  auA  even  in  ;heso 
peaceable  times  is  a  source  of  grei  t  in- 
convenience, expense,  and  delay.  The 
arrival  of  the  Admiral,  «n  the  spring,  is 
always  looked  forward  to  with  anxiety 


^1 


iK 


w 


V 


I 


1*1 
■■■■'. 


68 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;    OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


md  pleasure,  as  it  at  once  enlivens  and 
oenefits  the  town.  Those  common  de- 
monstrations of  respect,  salutes,  proclaim 
the  event,  which  is  soon  followed  by  the 
equally  harmless  and  no  less  noisy  revels 
01  sailors,  who  give  vent  to  their  happi- 
ness in  uproarious  merriment.  The 
Admiral  is  always  popular  with  the 
townspeople,  as  he  often  renders  them 
essential  services,  and  seldom  or  never 
oomes  into  collision  with  them.  He  is 
independent  of  them,  .and  wholly  dis- 
connected with  the  civil  government. 
'  Lucky  fellow !'  as  Sir  Hercules  Samp- 
son, the  Governor,  once  said ;  '  he  has 
no  turbulent  House  of  Assembly  to 
plague  him.' 

"  On  an  eminence  immediately  above 
the  dockyard  is  the  official  residence,  a 
heivvy,  square,  stone  building,  surround- 
ed by  massive  walls,  and  resembling,  in 
its  solidity  and  security,  a  public  asylum. 
The  entrance  is  guarded  by  two  senti- 
nels, belonging  to  that  gallant  and  val- 
uable corps,  the  marines,  who  combine 
the  activity  of  a  sailor  with  the  steadi- 
ness and  discipline  of  the  soldier,  form- 
ing a  happy  mixture  of  the  best  qualities 
of  both,  and  bearing  very  little  resem- 
blance to  either.  '  These  amphibious 
troops,'  my  old  friend,  Sir  James  Cap- 
stan, used  to  say, '  are  very  much  in  the 
way  on  board  of  a  ship,  except  in  an 
action,  and  then  they  are  always  in  the 
right  place.' 

•'  This  was  no  mean  praise  for  a  man 
who  thoroughly  detested  them,  for  an 
insult  his  dignity  once  suffered  from 
them,  which  he  never  forgot  or  forgave. 
Upon  one  occasion,  I  attended  divine 
service  with  him,  on  board  of  his  mag- 
nificent flag- ship,  the  Graball.  The 
discipline,  in  those  days,  was  dreadfully 
severe,  and,  I  may  add,  unmerciful. 
The  men  were  punished  so  often  and  so 
cruelly,  that  they  became  desperate,  and 
mutiny  and  desertion  were  things  of 
frequent  occurrence.  Scarcely  a  day 
passed  without  the  loss  of  a  man ;  and 
even  the  extrlme  penalty  of  death, 
which  was  ti;e  inevitable  consequence 
of  such  crimes,  did  not  check  their  (^■^^ 
■sire  to  escape  from  the  service.  The 
chaplain  took  the  opportunity  to  preach 


against  desertion,  and  selected  for  hlj 
text  the  eleventh  verse  of  the  sixth 
chapter  of  Nehemiah — 'And  I  said, 
should  such  a  man  as  I  flee  V  He  en- 
larged upon  the  duty  of  sailors  to  be 
obedient  to  those  who  were  set  in  au- 
thority over  them,  and  to  continue  tme 
to  their  engagements,  and  enforced 
every  exhortation  by  a  repetition  of  hia 
text.  He  then  concluded,  by  an  elo- 
quent appeal  to  their  feelings ;  first 
eulogising  their  coolness  and  intrepidity 
in  danger,  and  then  calling  upon  them 
to  stand  by  their  king  and  country,  and 
maintain  the  honor  of  both,  and  slowly 
and  emphatically  reiterated,  '  And  I 
said,  should  such  a  man  as  I  flee?'— 
*  No,'  said  a  voice,  which  arose  from 
among  the  marines,  and  was  evidently 
the  effect  of  ventriloquism — '•  no,  d — n 
you!  you  are  too  well  paid  for  that!' 
A  loud,  long-drawn  breathing  was  au- 
dible among  the  men,  who,  feeling  that 
something  atrocious  had  been  done, 
which  in  all  probability,  would  be  fol- 
lowed by  some  terrible  retribution,  while 
an  ill-suppressed  titter  was  heard  among 
the  junior  officers,  at  the  suddenness 
and  quaintness  of  the  retort.  The 
chaplain  paused,  and  looked  at  the  Ad- 
miral, and  the  Admiral  glared  at  the 
men,  as  if  he  could  annihilate  them  all 
Immediate  inquiry  was  made,  and  the 
strictest  examination  of  every  individual 
instituted,  accompanied  by  a  positive  de- 
claration that  the  whole  ship's  company 
should  bo  whipped,  unless  the  culprit 
was  given  up.  The  secret,  however,  was 
never  divulged,  nor  the  threat  of  indis- 
criminate punishment  carried  Into  effect 
"  More  attention  to  the  comfort  of  the 
men,  greater  regularity,  and  less  caprice 
in  their  management,  and  a  scale  of 
punishment  more  proportioned  to  of- 
fences, have  rendered  flogging  almost 
unnecessary,  and  executions  of  verj 
rare  occurrence.  Poor  fellows!'  their 
lives  are  !:ard  and  perilous,  but  theit 
hardsh'jjs  and  perils  are  occasionallj 
agsT'dvated  by  the  tyranny  of  their  8U 
^eriors.  Admirals,  thou^i  they  var 
in  size,  temperament,  ana  talent, 
more  or  less,  bear  the  same  characteristic 
stamp.     The  difference  is  one  of  clns» 


aryl 
alll 


air, 


f\ 


THE  OLD  ADMIRAL  AND  THE  OLD  GENERAL. 


67 


^' 


icted  for  his 
of  the  sixth 
A.nd  I  said, 
e?'  He  en- 
sailors  to  be 
e  set  in  an- 
ontinue  trne 
nd  enforced 
etition  of  iiig 
,  by  an  elo- 

ings ;  first 
id  intrepidity 
y  upon  them 
country,  and 
1,  and  slowly 
;ed,  'And  I 
IS  I  flee?'- 

arose   from 
iras  evidently 
n— 
id 


■'  no,  d — n 
for  that!' 


lung  was  au- 
,  feeling  that 
been  done, 
Tould  be  fol- 
ibution,  while 
)  heard  among 
e  suddenness 
retort.  The 
;d  at  the  Ad- 
'lared  at  the 
late  them  all 
lade,  and  the 
ery  individual 

a  positive  dc' 
lip's  company 
IS  the  culprit 

however,  was 
ireat  of  indis- 
ied  into  effect 
comfort  of  the 
id  less  caprice 
d  a  scale  of 
tioned   to  of 

'gging 
ions  of 
'ellows !' 
[)us,  but  their 
!  occasionallj 
y  of  their  su 
di  they  vary 
la  talent,  all 
I  oharucteristic 
one  of  clftSJ 


almost 
very 
their 


For  instance,  there  is  your  Admiral 
that  is  sent  out  to  die.  Rising  alone 
tnd  unaided  in  the  service,  it  is  late  in 
life  before  he  attains  to  the  honors  of 
his  profession,  and,  when  he  does,  his 
palsied  hand  can  scarcely  grasp  his 
commission.  Poor  man!  his  reign  is 
short ;  for  his  life  expires  before  his 
period  of  service  has  terminated. 

"Then  there  is  your  Aamiral  that 
comes  out  to  make  money.  He  has  no- 
ble connections,  or  parliamentary  inter- 
est, and  his  services  through  life  have 
consequently  been  duly  appreciated  and 
promptly  rewarded.  Though  he  enter- 
ed the  navy  many  years  after  the  age' 
man  who  p'eceded  him  in  the  commanu, 
he  is  in  fact  scarcely  his  junior  in  rank, 
80  rapid  has  been  his  'omotion.  He 
has  come  to  make  money — but,  alas ! 
money  is  no  longer  to  be  made.  The 
steamers  carry  afl  the  coin  and  bullion 
which  were  formerly  transported  by 
menof  war,  and  the  Admiral,  like  others, 
is  reduced  to  his  pay,  his  rations,  and 
his  grog. 

"  Then  comes  an  Admiral,  because  it 
cannot  be  helped.  He  is  old,  and  has 
been  long  ■  since  forgotten,  especially 
as  he  never  performed  any  services 
worth  remembering :  but  his  name  is 
on  the  list,  and  he  cannot  be  passed 
over.  He  is  accordingly  traced  to  his 
agents,  and  from  thence  to  Cheltenham, 
and  again  to  a  cottage  surrounded  by 
every  plant  of  every  part  of  the -world 
that  will  endure  the  damp  and  sunless 
climate  of  England.  The  gate  of  this 
museum  of  relics '  and  curiosities  is 
opened  by  a  servant,  dressed  in  a  pair 
of  loose  duck  trowsers,  a  check  shirt, 
and  white  canvass  shoes,  who  gives  a 
twitch  with  both  hands  to  his  waistband, 
a  knowing  nod  with  his  head,  and,  look- 
ing at  the  postman  with  a  mischievous 
air,  as  if  he  would  delight  in  tripping  up 
his  heels  and  scattering  his  letters  in 
the  street,  says,  *  Well,  master,  what 
cheer  now?'  Closing  the  door  on  the 
impatient  visitor,  he  reads  on  the  letter 
the  words, '  On  His  Majesty's  Service  ;' 
and  says,  musingly,  '  Some  musty  old 
return,  I  suppose ;  for,  as  for  service, 
We  are  hardly  seaworthy  now.'    He  then 


proceeds  into  a  little  room  hung  round 
with  charts,  spy-glasses,  swords,  and 
pistols,  and  shelves  on  which  are  exhib- 
ited South  Sea  warclubs,  idols,  ostrich 
eggs,  and  curious  feathers,  the  mantel- 
piece being  garnished  with  an  extensive 
collection  of  the  pipes  of  all  nations :  at 
one  end  of  the  apartment  is  a  hammook, 
in  which  reposes  the  unconscious  com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  North  American 
and  West  Indian  station.  In  a  short 
time,  the  little  occupant  of  ohc  little  cot- 
tage is  transported  to  Pcvtsmoyth,  where 
he  hoists  his  dag  as  Admiral  on  board 
of  one  of  the  noble  seventy-four  gun 
ships  in  that  harbor,  and  sets  sail  for 
Halifax  or  Bermuda.  He  comes,  be- 
cause it  couldn't  be  helped. 

''  Fighting  Admirals  are,  happily,  not 
required ;  and,  when  the  day  of  need 
comes,  they  will  no  doubt  be  found,  as 
they  always  have  been,  among  that 
numerous  class  of  officers  who  enjoy  the 
benefit  of  experience  without  the  in- 
firmities of  age.  Admirals  again,  even 
of  the  same  classification,  notwithstand- 
ing this  strong  family-likeness  to  each 
other,  equally  differ  in  peculiarities, 
which,  however,  affect  their  subordinates 
rather  than  civilians.  They  are  gene- 
rally uncomfortable  inmates  on  board 
ship.  There  is  ycur  Admiral  who  never 
reads ;  he  is  an  intolerable  bore  to  the 
flag-captain,  whom  etiquette  requires  to 
attend  him  on  deck  and  amuse  him. 
He  acts  the  part  of  dry  nurse,  and  longs 
to  be  relieved  from  his  charge. 

"  Then,  there  is  your  married  Admiral, 
whoso  ladies  will  violate  all  rules,  by 
sitting  on  forbidden  parts  of  the  ship, 
and  insisting  on  his  ordering  sail  to  be 
shortened  unnecessarily  to  appease  their 
fears,  while  their  horses,  carriages,  co\|p, 
cats,  dogs,  birds,  and  furniture,  encum- 
ber the  ship  to  the  am^oyance  of  every 
body.  They  are  very  ungallantly  styled 
live  lumber  by  Jack,  and  voted  a  nuis- 
ance, a  term  of  reproach  which  is  some- 
what compensated  for  by  the  evident 
admiration  with  which  even  the  plainest 
of  their  sex  are  regarded  in  a  place 
where  women  are  such  a  rarity  that  a 
petticoat  is  looked  upon  as  the  attribute 
of  Divinity. 


iiV'jjf 


rfi 


9S 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


.,  |«. 


.t 


•f     % 


"Then,  there  is  the  Admiral  -who 
does  every  thing,  and  he  who  does 
nothing.  The  iBirst  is  adored  by  the 
whole  fleet,  for  a  sense  of  justice  per- 
\-«des  all  his  aots :  services  are  rewarded, 
gricvanoes  redressed,  and  every  body 
and  every  thing  kept  in  their  place. 
Where  the  secretary  rules  all  and  does ' 
all,  favoritism  is  discovered  or  suspected ; 
and,  like  all  favorites,  he  is  exceedingly 
unpopular  with  every  body  but  his 
master.  Such  are  the  men  who  so 
rapidly  succeed  each  other  in  the  com- 
mand on  this  station. 

"  The  old  Admiral  and  the  old  Gen- 
eral ^for  the  Governor  is  almost  always 
a  military  man)  are  the  two  highest 
officials  in  the  colony ;  each  have  their 
staff  and  their  guards,  and  each  their 
little  empire  to  rule.  The  one  is  a  des- 
potic and  the  other  a  constitutional 
monarch,  and  severally  participate  in 
the  convenience  or  disadvantage  of  their 
respective  systems.  The  one  promul- 
gates his  own  laws,  and  issues  his  orders 
on  his  own  responsibility,  which  are  im- 
plicitly obeyed.  The  other  summons  a 
Earliament,  and  assembles  around  him 
is  little  Lords  and  Commons,  and  re- 
ceives rather  than  gives  law.  He  is 
not  the  machinery  itself,  but  only  a  part 
of  it — a  sort  of  pendulum,  that,  by  an 
equal  vibration,  balances  and  regulates 
the  motions  of  both  sides.  They  reside 
at  different  ends  of  the  town,  and  love 
to  reigu  apart  from  each  other ;  a  united 
service  being  incompatible  with  the 
habits  and  discipline  of  both.  There  is 
a  marked  difference  in  their  bearing. 

"  The  Admiral  is  a  plain,  unaffected 
man,  with  a  frank  and  cordial  manner, 
somewhat  positive  in  his  language,  and 
living  a  voice  that  carries  authority  in 
its  very  tones.  He  is  always  popular, 
for  he  converses  so  freely  and  affably 
with  every  one,  especially  with  the 
chronometer-maker,  whom  he  visits  daily, 
and  instructs  in  the  mysteries  of  taking 
observations  of  the  sun.  He  delights 
in  hoisting  a  mast  into  a  disabled  mer- 
chantman, provided  the  skipper  will 
■tand  out  of  the  way  during  the  opera- 
tion, and  hold  his  tongue  about  matters 
of  which  it  is  impossible  he  can  know 


any  thing;  or  in  sending  a  hundred 
men  to  warp  a  vessel  out  of  a  place  of 
danger ;  or  in  exhibiting  the  agility  and 
boldness  of  his  sailor  in  extinguishing 
a  fire  that  defies  the  efforts  and  appals 
the  courage  of  landsmen.  He  is  liberal 
in  his  expenditure,  and  subscribes  mu- 
nificently to  every  object  of  publio 
charity. 

"  The  old  General  is  erect  and  formal, 
and  is  compelled  to  be  ceremonious  in 
defence  of  his  prerogative  and  station. 
He  is  also  reserved  and  cautious,  afraid 
to  commit  himself  by  promises  or  opin- 
ions, and,  whenever  practicable,  shelters 
himself  behind  generalities?  There  is 
an  apparent  object  in  his  condescension ; 
he  is  desirous  of  standing  well  with  the 
community,  for  much  of  his  success  de- 
pends upon  his  personal  influence. 
The  public  have  a  claim  upon  and  an 
interest  in  him ;  for,  tiiough  appointed 
by  the  Crofwn,  he  is  their  Governor,  and 
they  take  the  liberty  of  criticising  him. 
The  one,  therefore,  naturally  and  un- 
consciously wins  the  good-will  of  people, 
and  the  other  labors  to  conciliate  it. 
Popularity  follows  one,  and  is  wooed  by 
the  other.  Their  mode  of  life  and  style 
of  entertainment,  too,  are  equally  dis- 
similar. 

"The  Admiral  has  nothing  to  do 
with  the  legislature,  a  sort  of  imperium 
in  imperio,  which  ISk  is  not  altogether 
able  to  understand,  and  whose  remon- 
stranees  look  very  like  mutiny  to  him, 
and  always  suggest  the  idea  of  arrest 
and  court-martial.  The  country  mem- 
bers, therefore,  are  BOt  seen  at  liis  table, 
nor  do  their  wives  and  daughters  grace 
his  evening  parties.  He  is  free  and  un- 
fettered in  the  choice  of  his  society,  and 
can  select  his  associates  from  such  por- 
tion of  the  community  as  he  pleases. 
His  household  is  principally  composed 
of  his  attendants  at  sea,  who  know  his 
habits  and  humors,  and  can  accommo- 
date themselves  to  them.  His  favoritiss, 
unlike  those  of  the  other,  who  are  al- 
ways courtiers  or  politicians,  are  a  large 
Newfoundland  dog,  or  a  frolinksome 
goat,  called  the  Commodore,  who  knooka 
over  the  unwary  intruder,  to  the  infl* 
nite  amusement  of  the  numerous  domoa 


a  handrad 

!  a  place  of 
)  agility  and 
tinguUhing 
and  appals 
[e  is  liberal 
scribes  mu- 
of    publio 

and  formal, 
imonious  in 
nd  station, 
lious,  afraid 
ses  or  opin- 
lie,  shelters 
There  is 
descension ; 
ell  with  the 
success  de- 
influence, 
pon  and  an 
appointed 
vernor,  and 
cising  him. 
y  and  uq- 
il  of  people, 
tnciliate  it. 
s  wooed  by 
e  and  style 
iqually  dis- 

ling  to  do 
f  imperium 

altogether 
ase  remon- 
iny  to  him, 
a  of  arrest 
,ntry  mem- 
t  bis  table, 
Iters  grace 
'ee  and  an- 
ooiety,  and 
1  such  por- 
le  pleases, 
r  composed 
D  know  his 

aooommo- 
i  favorifes, 
ho  are  al- 
iVQ  a  large 
■olinksome 
^ho  knooka 
I  the  iofl* 
)us  domo» 


THE  OLD  ADMIRAL  AND  THE  OLD  GENERAL. 


lies.  The  only  part  of  his  establish- 
ment that  is  refractory  are  his  sheep, 
irhich,  notwithstanding  that  -the  boat- 
swain, boathook  in  hand,  has  been 
transformed  into  a  shepherd,  are  con- 
stantly breaking  bounds,  leaping 'the 
stone  walls,  and  scampering  over  the 
country.  His  kitchen-garden  is  the 
best  in  the  plage,  and  he  prides  himself 
not  a  little  on  his  heads  of  cabbages  and 
lettuces,  which,  he  says,  are  the  whitest 
and  hardest  that  ever  were  seen  ;  and 
in  his  poultry-yard,  where  white  ducks, 
polar  geese,  guinea-hcr"  peacocks,  and 
Portugal  fowls,  sailor-like,  are  enjoying 
a  run  on  shore,  and  vie  with  each  other 
in  making  the  most  discordant  sounds. 
His  carriage  bears  the  same  striking 
dissimilarity  to  the  General's.  The  lat- 
ter is  a  state  affair,  displaying  gay 
trappings  and  liveried  servants ;  the 
former  an  unpretending,  convenient, 
little  low-wheeled  covered  waggon,  drawn 
by  one  stout  horse,  and  driven  at  a  slow 
pace  by  His  secretary,  in  which  he  daily 
perambulates  the  unfrequented  streets 
as  well  as  the  thoroughfares  of  tho  town. 
His  dinner  parties,  also,  are  less  formal. 
People  are  expected  to  speak  above  a 
whispe^,  or  they  cannot  be  heard,  and 
to  be  at  home,  or  they  cannot  be  agree- 
able. The  dinner  itself  has  a  smack  of 
the  sea ;  the  dishes  have  a  higher  sea- 
soning and  a  stronger  flavor  %f  vege- 
tables, while  the  forbidden  onion  lurks 
stealthily  concealed  under  the  gravy. 
It  is  more  abundant  and  substantial, 
and  the  decanters  have  a  quicker  pace 
and  travel,  as  if  time  were  short,  and  a 
walk  on  dieck  was  soon  apprehended. 
The  servants  move  faster,  though  more 
noisily,  and  retain  a  sidelong  motion, 
bracing  out  their  feet,  and  hold  fast  the 
dishes  as  if  they  momentarily  expected 
a  lurch,  and  were  prepared  to  maintain 
their  equilibrium.  Their  apparel,  too, 
is  in  character — slightly  varied  in  some 
instances,  and  in  others  not  at  all,  from 
the  regulation  dress ;  while  the  butler 
(who  is  occasionally  heard  to  order,  in 
an  under  tone.  Boy  George  to  bear  a 
band,  and  Bill  Gibson  to  stow  away  the 
dishes),  instead  of  looking  like  his  land- 
lubber brother  at  Government  House, 


heavy,  corpulent,  and  rosy,  is  a  thin, 
sunburnt,  weatherbcaten  man,  who  baui 
visited  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  under- 
gone the  vicissitudes  of  every  climate, 
and  appears  to  have  selected  his  wines 
in  the  region  in  which  they  were  m'ffde. 
The  conversation,  also,  is  unlike  that  at 
the  palace,  having  no  reference  what- 
ever to  local  matters.  You  hear  no- 
thing of  the  Merrygomish  Bridge,  the 
election  at  Port  Medway,  or  the  altera- 
tion of  the  road  at  Aspatangon,  to  which 
the  Governor  is  compelled  to  listen,  and, 
at  each  repetition,  appear  as  much  in- 
terested as  ever. 

"  The  sea  is  the  sailor's  home,  and 
his  topics  are  drawn  from  every  part  of 
the  globe.  When  at  the  Admiral's 
table,  therefore,  you  forget  you  are  in 
Halifax.  The  following  scraps  of  con- 
versation that  reach  your  ear  convincie 
you  that  you  are  not  among  provincials, 
but  men  of  the  world. 

•' '  You  drive  a  wild  horse  into  the 
stream,  whom  the  electric  eel  immedi- 
ately attacks ;  after  a  few  shocks,  he  ex- 
hausts his  muscular  powers,  and  you 
may  seize  him  with  impunity.  They 
are  occasionally  found  six  feet  in  length.' 

" '  The  Canopus  was  one  of  Napoleon's 
ships.  She  was  built  of  Adriatic  oak, 
and,  old  as  she  is,  is  one  of  the  soundest 
and  fastest  vessels  in  the  navy.'  '  I 
don't  think  any  thing  of  her  age,  and, 
as  for  the  timber,  it  is  not  to  be  com- 
pared to  English  oak  :  last  year,  I  saw 
in  the  harbor,  of  St.  John  a  merchant- 
man, that  was  employed  by  General 
Wolfe,  as  a  transport,  at  the  siege  of 
Quebec' 

"  '  A   double-bedded  room  does 
the  States,  a  room  with 


mean,  in 


not 
two 
beds,  but  a  bed  with  two  persons  in  it.* 
During  the  great  embjirgo,  I  happened 
to  be  at  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 
when  the  landlord  proposed  to  me  to 
sleep  with  a  dirty-looking  foreign  officer. 
If  I  cannot  have  a  separate  bed,  I  said, 
I  prefer  sitting  before  the  fire  all  night 

to  sleeping  with  that  d d  Russian  I 

Is  he  a  Russian,  sir?  said  a  tall,  thin, 
inquisitive  Yankee^  that  stood  listening 
to  the  conversation — is  he  a  Russian  ? 
I'll  take  him,  then,  if  it  convenes  you, 


.',J« 


*  0,  '  ,<Xif 


f"  I 


70 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


iii 


li*\l 


mt" 


p 


ii 


I*  lis 


J 1 

•A, 


stranger.  I  should  rather  like  it,  for  I 
never  slept  with  a  RuBsian.' 

" '  Gape  Breton  was  once  a  separate 
government,  and  that  little  village,  Sid- 
nev,  was  the  capital.  When  I  com- 
mAded  the  Linnet,  I  put  in  there  for  a 
supply  of  coal.  The  Governor,  who  was 
the  most  extraordinary  person  I  ever 
met,  told  me  his  Chief  Justice  had  pass- 
ed .  him  in  the  street  without  touching 
his  hat  to  him,  anid  asked  me  if  I  did 
not  think  such  insolence  would  justify 
him  in  removing  him  from  his  office. 
Upon  my  answering  in  the  negative,  he 
aaid,  *  I'll  tell  you  what  I'll  do.  By  Jove, 
I  will  declare  martial  law,  try  him  at  the 
drum-head,  tie  him  up,  and  give  him 
three  dozen!' 

" '  The  Chinese  regard  these  matters 
very  philosophically.  When  Elliot  was 
cannonading  the  forts  above  Canton,  an 
officer  came  off  with  a  flag  of  truce  to 
one  of  the  ships,  and  told  the  Captain 
that  he  thought  the  effusion  of  human 
blood  both  useless  and  w  icked.  If  you 
no  fire  iron  plums,  then  I  no  fire  iron 
plums.  You  bang  away  powder  for 
naif  an  hour,  and  so  will  I ;  then  I  will 
run  away,  and  you  come  and  take  the 
fort.' 

" '  It  depends  upon  what  part  of  the 
coast  you  are  on.  The  Gambia  is  by  no 
means  unhealthy,  unless,  perhaps,  at  the 
rainy  season.  It  is  a  magnificent  coun- 
try ;  I  penetrated  three  hundred  miles 
into  the  interior,  and  the  forest  is  like  a 
vast  umbrageous  park.  I  recollect  riding 
one  moonlight  night  through  where  I 
was  struck  by  the  sound  of  the  tinkling 
of  innumerable  little  silver  bells,  which 
appeared  to  be  attached  to  all  the  trees. 
It  was  the  African  nightingale,  with 
•which  the  forest  was  fille3.  I  shall  ne- 
ver forget  the  effect ;  it  was  the  sweet- 
est and  most  oliarming  thing  I  ever 
heard.' 

'"  He  told  me  very  gravely  he  saw  a 
man  breaking  a  horse  at  Bio,  upon 
which  he  had  fastened  a  monstrous  pair 
of  magnifying  glasses,  and,  on  inquiring 
of  the  fellow  what  was  the  object  of  put- 
ting spectacles  on  a  horse,  no  replied 
that  it  was  done  for  the  purpose  of  giv- 
ing him  a  good  action,  for,  by  enlarg* 


ing  everv  object  on  the  road,  it  made  him 
step  high  to  avoid  it.  He  told  the  story 
so  often  that  he  began  to  believe  it  him' 
self  at  last' 

"  All  this  might  as  well  have  beon 
said  at  Portsmouth  or  Plymouth  as  at 
Halifax,  but  is  more  agreeable  at  the 
latter  place  than  elsewhere,  because  it 
is  a  relief  to  the  monotonous  conversa- 
tion of  a  provincial  town. 

The  evening  parties  are  much  the 
same  as  those  at  Government  House, 
which  I  have  already  described  to  you, 
but  have  more  naval  and  fewer  military 
officers,  which,  in  a  ball-room,  is  a  decid. 
ed  improvement.  Your  subaltern,  when 
he  has  taken  his  first  lesson  in  '  soldier- 
ing' in  England,  of  which,  by  the  by,  he 
is  rather  ashamcid,  for  it  is  by  no  means 
the  most  fashionable  amusement  in  that 
country,  and  lands  in  a  colony,  is  rather 
a  supercilious  young  gentleman,  that 
finds  nothing  good  enough  for  him. 
He  talks  to  young  ladies  of  Almacks, 
where  he  has  never  been  ;  of  the  Opera, 
to  which  his  mamma  took  him  in  the  va- 
cation ;  and  La  Blache,  Catalini,  or 
Grisi,  whom,  if  he  has  not  seen,  he  has 
often  heard  of  He  thinks  it  beneath 
his  dignity  to  dance — the.  1 0th  never 
dance — why  should  he  ?  But  the  days 
of  puppyism  soon  pass  away,  when  their 
eyes  are  opened  and  they  see  as  well, 
and  became  as  agreeable  as  other  people. 
The  dear  little  middy  is  a  different  sort 
of  person  altogether  :  he  does  not  try  to 
play  the  man — for  he  actually  is  one,  a 
frank,  jolly,  ingenuous  fellow.  The 
cockpit  is  no  place  for  affectation  and 
nonsense,  and,  if  by  any  chance  they 
find  their  way  there,  they  are  expelled 
forthwith  by  common  consent.  There 
is  no  pity  or  sympathy,  even  for  the  real 
distress  of  an  '  exquisite.' 

''  I  recollect  an  anecdote  of  poor 
Theodore  Hook's  on  this  subject.  I  ne- 
ver knew,  he  said,  but  one  instance  of 
real  sympathy.  I  was  in  an  outward 
bound  man-of-war  off  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope:  the  weather  was  very  stormy, 
the  sea  ran.  mountains  high,  and  the 
ship  labored  dreadfully.  One  night  I 
put  on  my  dreadnought  coat  and  nor- 
wester  hat,  and  went  on  deck.     It  was 


10  dark,  and 
it  was  difficu 
)Mts.  The 
and  fro  as  m 
on  b^  the  rij 
certaining  hi 
of  a  change  > 
voice  like  th 
sailor  and 
together  wl 
where  we  i 
weeping  bit 
weather  buh 
th'e  storm, 
are  blubberi 
the  veteran, 
the  roll  of 
sir,'  was  the 
you  here  V 
fool  he  for  1 
kept  you  at 

?'Ott  left  h( 
ittle  fellow 
ting  both  fi 
the  gushing 
did  she  cr 
tar  paused  1 
this  instan 
and  at  last 
ing,  '  Poor 
up  his  wail 
Now  that, 
stance  of 
'  Poor  old 
words  com? 
heart ! 

«  But  to 

ing  of     A 

to  train  a 

tary  man  c 

certain  ext 

sailor,  on  < 

bold,  hard 

every  thit 

his  way  in 

son  why  a 

seaman    r 

from  theii 

in  the  col 

at  home  a 

afloat  anc 

first  one  t 

was  patro 

Capstan. 


THE  OLD  ADMIRAL  AND  THE  OLD  GENERAL. 


71 


much  the 
3nt  House, 
bed  to  you, 
'er  military 
,  is  a  decid' 
iltern,  when 
in  '  soldier- 
jr  the  by,  he 
)y  no  means 
lent  in  that 
ly,  is  rather 
eman,  that 
h  for  him. 
r  AI  macks, 
'the  Opera, 
u  in  the  va- 
L/atalini,  or 
een,  he  has 
it  beneath 
1 0th   never 
ut  the  days 
when  their 
lee  as  well, 
:;her  people, 
fferent  sort 
9  not  try  to 
ly  is  one,  a 
How.     The 
station  and 
hanoe  they 
'6  expelled 
at.     There 
for  the  real 

0  of .  poor 
ect.  I  ne- 
istance  of 
u  outward 
e  of  Good 
y  stormy, 
I,  and  the 
le  night  I 
and  nor* 
:•     It  wat 


10  dark,  and  tho  rain  falling  in  torrents, 
it  was  difficult  at  first  to  distinguish  ob- 
jects. The  boatswain  was  pacing  to 
and  fro  as  udual  on  his  watch,  and  I  held 
on  by  the  rigger,  for  the  purpose  of  as- 
oertaining  his  opinion  of  tne  probability 
of  a  change  of  weather,  when  I  heard  a 
voice  like  that  of  a  child  crying.  The 
sailer  and  I  both  approached  the  spot 
together  whence  the  sound  issued, 
where  we  found  a  little  midshipman 
weeping  bitterly,  'as  he  clung  to  the 
weather  bulwarks  to  protect  himself  from 
the  storm.  '  Hullo !  who  are  you  that 
are  blubbering  like  a  baby  there  V  said 
the  veteran,  in  a  voice  that  resembled 
the  roll  of  a  drum.  '  Lord  Windlas, 
sir,'  was  the  reply.  '  Who  the  devil  sent 
you  here  V  '  My  father,  sir.'  *  More 
fool  he  for  his  pains ! — he  ought  to  have 
kept  you  at  school.  Did  you  cry  when, 
vou  left  home  V  '  Yes,  sir,'  said  the 
tittle  fellow  releasing  his  hold,  and  put- 
ting both  fists  to  his  eyes,  as  if  to  stop 
the  gushing  tears.  '  And  your  mother, 
did  she  cry?'  '  Yees,  sir.'  The  old 
tar  paused  for  a  moment  as  if  touched  by 
this  instance  of  maternal  tenderness, 
and  at  last  said,  in  a  voice  of  gr^at  feel- 
ing. *  Poor  old  devil !'  and,  twitching 
up  his  waistbands,  resumed  his  walk. 
Now  that,  said  Hook,  was  the  only  in- 
stance of  real  sympathy  I  ever  saw. 
<  Poor  old  devil !'  how  much  those 
words  convey  when  they  come  from  the 
heart  I 

"  But  to  return  to  what  I  was  talk- 
ing of  A  man-of-war  is  a  capital  school 
to  train  a  youngster  in.  TiJie  a  mili- 
tary man  out  of  his  profession,  and  to  a 
certain  extent  he  is  a  helpless  being.  A 
sailor,  on  the  contrary,  is  self-relying, 
bold,  hardy,  and  well  acquainted  with 
every  thing  that  is  useful  for  making 
his  way  in  the  world.  This  is  the  rea- 
son why  a  soldier  seldom  succeeds,  and  a 
seaman  rarely  fails,  when  they  retire 
from  their  respective  services  and  settle 
in  the  colonies.  The  Admiral  again  is 
at  home  at  a  regatta  ;  he  is  once  more 
afloat  and  in  his  own  element.  The 
first  one  that  was  ever  held  at  Halifax 
was  patronized  by  my  friend  Sir  James 
Capstan.    He  and  I  had  been  boys  to- 


gether at  school,  and  even,  at  that  early 
period,  I  was  always  known  as  '  Old 
Sandford,'  an  appellation  probably  de- 
rived either  from  the  sedateneBs  or  awk- 
wardness of  my  manner.  We  had  lost 
sight  of  each  other  for  many  years,  when 
I  was  surprised  and  delighted  at  hear- 
ing that  be  had  arrived  at  Halifax  as 
Commander-in-Chief  on  this  station. 
'  Oood  heavens  I  here  is  Old  Sandford,' 
he  said,  as  he  saw  me  advancing  towards 
him.  Alas  I  what  had  begun  in  jest 
time  had  turned  into  reality.  I  had, 
indeed,  become  an  aged  man.  '  My  good 
friend,' he  said,  'your  country  has  had 
more  than  its  share  of  your  time  and  at- 
tention. I  must  monopolize  you  now 
while  you  are  in  Halifax,  for  we  have 
our  mutual  histories  to  relate,  and  much 
to  say  to  each  other.  To-morrow  we 
are  to  have  a  regatta.  I  suppose  it 
would  be  infra  dig.  for  the  old  Judge 
and  the  old  Admiral  to  dance  a  jig  to- 
gether, before  the  youngsters,  but  I'll 
tell  you  what,  old  boy,  1  don't  know 
what  you  can  do — but  I  could  dance  one 
yet,  and,  by  Jove !  when  we  are  alone 
this  evening,  we  will  try.  It  will  re- 
mind us  of.  old  times.  What  has  be- 
come of  the  Smiths? — monstrous  fine 
galls  those — I  have  often  thought  of 
them  since.'  '  Dead !'  '  Dead !  the 
devil  they  are !  how  shocking !  and  those 
two  romping  little  Browns  ?  married,  I 
suppose,  and  have  romping  little  daugh- 
ter:).' I  shook  my  head.  '  Gone,  too,* 
I  said.  '  You  forget  that  forty  years 
have  passed  since  they  were  young,  and 
that  the  greater  part  of  that  generation 
has  passed  away.'  '  Well,  thank  God, 
you  and  I,  old  fellow,  have  not  passed 
away  I  I  don't  know  what  you  intend 
to  do,  but  I  have  no  idea  of  going  yet, 
if  I  can  help  it.  I  am  worth  a  dozen 
dead  men,  and  so  are  you.'  While 
active  employment  had  kept  him  so  busy 
that  he  appeared  not  to  have  been. aware 
of  the  lapse  of  years,  time  also  had  pass- 
ed him  without  notice  :  his  spirits  were 
as  buoyant  and  joyous  as  ever. 

"  The  following  day  was  as  brilliant 
and  as  propitious  as  could  be  desired, 
and  at  an  early  hour  the  harbor  was 
covered  with  boats   filled  with   light 


*■-*,/    i* 


:i 


1 

f 

H 

i'M 

'!i 

1 

;  I 

-1 

ki*' 

■ 

"'i< 

^ 

\ 

"^ 

'ii 

|'4 

t 

•!■' 

^f 

1 

.1  • 

:-    III 

■■     t 

f 

n 


THE  OLD  JUDGE ;   OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


Itfk*/! 


V. 


X 


Tii;    n 


li) 


%  r 


i.  ■^    '■ 


'Ml!'4, 


I?; 


% 


hearts  and  merry  faces.  The  noble 
ship,  the  Graball,  was  tastefully  decora- 
ted with  flags  of  every  variety  and  color, 
and  presented  a  gay  and  beautiful  ap- 
pearance. Every  convenience  that  in-, 
genuity  could  invent,  or  delicacy  sug- 
gest, was  provided  for  the  comfort  and 
accommodation  of  the  guests ;  every  ar- 
rangement was  perfect,  with  the  single 
exception,  as  a  young  lady  observed, 
with  some  degree  of  regret,  that  there 
was  not  a  sin^e  pin  on  the  toilet-table 
of  the  dressing-room. 

"  Soon  after  the  company  arrived,  and 
while  the  Admiral  was  surrounded  by  a 
numerous  assemblage  of  ladies,  a  little 
flotilla  of  canoes  was  observed  advanc- 
ing from  the  opposite  shore  of  Dart- 
mouth, led  by  a  rival  oflScer,  the  Cem- 


man'lei'-in-Chief  of  his  own  navy.  Ad- 
miral Paul,  the  Indian.  He  was  a  tall, 
well-made,  active  man,  in  the  prime  of 
life.  He  was  dressed  in  a  frock-coat 
with  red  facings,  secured  round  the 
waist  by  a  sash  of  scarlet  wampum  ;  his 
feet  were  ornamented  with  a  pair  of 
yellow  moccasins,  with  a  white  and  blue 
edging,  curiously  wrought  with  the 
quills  of  the  porcupine.  A  military 
cap  (a  present  from  some  officer  of  the 
garrison)  ctnupleted  his  equipment.  He 
approached  the  quarter-deck  with  an 
ease  and  elegance  of  motion  that  art 
can  never  supply,  and,  addressing  Sir 
James,  said,  '  Are  you  the  Admiral  ?' 
'  Yes  !'  '  So  am  I :  I  am  Admiral  Paul 
— all  same,  you  see,  as  one  brudder.' 

^  Paul,  notwithstanding  that  his  man- 
ner was  BO  natural  and  unaffected,  was 
a  great  rogue  withal,  and  found  it  con- 
venient to  invest  himself  with  two  com- 
missions. With  the  officers  of  the  navy 
he  was  an  Admiral,  and  with  Sir  Her- 
cules Sampson  he  was  a  Governor.  He 
was,  therefore,  to  use  bis  own  language, 
'  all  same  as  one  brudder '  with  both  ; 
and,  standing  on  such  a  footing  of  inti- 
macy, was  enabled  to  receive  fraternal 
assistance  without  any  diminution  of 
his  dignity.  He  also  had  the  misfor- 
*^une  to  take  '  very  big  drinks,'  which, 
though  they  did  not  lower  the  respect 
of  his  i:ribe  for  him,  had  the  effect  of 
setting  them  a  very  bad  example.     Up- 


on one  occasion,  when  be  was  soliciting 
a  loan  from  the  Governor  (for  he  never 
condescended  to  beg),  he  was  unhappily 
intoxicated ;    his  wants  were  liberally 
supplied  upon  condition  that  he  should 
never  appear  at  '  the  Palace'  again,  un- 
less he  was  perfectly  sober,  an  agree- 
ment into  which  he  very  readily  enter- 
ed.    About  a  fortnight  afterwards  he 
required  another  loan,  but  the  Governor 
refused  it.     '  Didn't  you  promise  me 
never  to  let  me  see  you  tipsy  again  V 
he  said.     '  Sartin,'  he  replied.     *  Why 
didn't    you    keep    your  word,  then  V 
'  Sartin,  I  keep  my  word.'     '  Why,  you 
are  drunk  now,  mar.'     '  Sartin,'  he  re- 
plied, very  cooHy,  *  sartin,  but  it's  the 
same  old  drunk,  though— Paul  not  been 
sober  since — all  same  old  drunk,  Mr. 
Gubbernor.*     Tht  drollery  of  the  reply 
'has  caused  it  to  pass  into  a  bye-word  in 
this  country.     Uniform  occupations,  or 
frequent  repetitions  of  the  same  thing, 
are  constantly  denominated  '  the  same 
old  drunk.'     Having  established  his  re- 
lationship to  the  Admiral,  Paul  thought 
the  opportunity  for  obtaining  a  loan  not 
to  be  omitted.     '  All  same  as  one  brud- 
der, you  see,  Mr.   Admiral,  so  please 
lend  me  one  dollar.'     The  novelty  of 
the  application  pleased  my  friend  ama- 
zingly, and  be  gave  him  several,  adding, 
very  needlessly,  that  there  was  no  ne- 
cessity for  returning  them.     Paul  re- 
ceived  them  with  au  easy  bow,  and  de- 
liberately counted  them,  one,  two,  three, 
four,  five,  six  ;   and  then,  taking  a  fur 
pouch  from  the  back  part  of  his  belt, 
in  which  %ere  his  flint,  steel,  punk,  and 
tobacco, -he  deposited  them  safely  in  it, 
and  replaced  it  as  before,  merely  ob- 
serving, '  Sartin,  white  Admiral  makun 
money  bery  easy.'     As  he  turned  to 
depart,  his  countenance  suddenly  be- 
came very  fierce.     '  Mr.  Admiral,'  he 
said,  '  do  you  know  that  man  V  point- 
ing to  a  young  officer  of  the  ship.  '  Yes,' 
he  replied, '  I  know  him ;  he  is  one  of 
my  midshipmen.'     '  Sartin,  he  one  d — d 
rascal  I'    '  Tut,  tut,  tut  I'  said  the  Ad- 
miral.   'Sartin,  Mr.  Admiral,  he  one 
d — d  rascal !  he  kissum  my  squaw  vef- 
terday.'     '  Tut,  tut,  £ut !'    he  replied 
again,  waving  his  hand  to  him  at  th« 


i^jkMl 


w,  and  dd- 

:wo,  three, 

ing  a  fur 

hia  belt, 

)unk,  and 

fely  in  it, 

ereiy  ob- 

al  makua 

urned  to 

enly  be- 

Iniral,'  he 

point* 

'Yes,' 

19  one  of 

one  d — d 

the  Ad> 

he  one 

uaw  je$- 

replied 

■u  at  th« 


?' 


THE  OLD  ADMIRAL  AND  THE  OLD  GENERAL. 


78 


lame  time  to  go  away^  lest  the  farther 
oontinuance  of  the  oonversation  might 
prove  inoonvenient.  *  Ah,  Mr.  Admi- 
ral.' he  said  with  much  animation,  and 
he  advanced  a  little,  and  bending  for- 
ward held  out  his  arm,  in  an  attitude 
of  elegance  that  a  sculptor  might  envy, 
>ah,  Mr.  Admiral,  if  I  kissum  your 
squaw'  (pointing  to  Lady  Capstan), 
'you  no  say  *  Tut,  tut,  tut,  man  !'  and 
he  retired,  not  quite  satisfied  that  jus- 
tice had  been  done  him. 

"  Of  the  regatta,  you  will  perhaps  be 
surprised  to  hear  that,  in  common  with 
the  young  ladies,  I  saw  but  little,  I 
have  always  regarded  a  boat-race  as  a 
very  stupid,  and  a  horse-race  a  very 
cruel  thing.  I  never  could  take  any 
interest  in  them,  and  to  describe  either 
I  would  be  to  tell  a  thrice-told  tale.  The 
Admiral,  h^'wever,  entered  into  it  with 
all  his  het^^'t,  and  was  delighted  that 
the  fishermen  of  Herring  Cove  and  the 
eastern  passage  beat  (as  they  always  do) 
the  barge  of  the  man-of-war.  He  said 
ill  would  take  the  conceit  out  of  the  lub- 
bers, make  them  mind  their  eye  for' the 
future,  for  there  was  not  a  man  in  the 
ship  could  pull  an  oar  properly. 

^  I  was  more  amused  myself  at  what 
I  was  passing  around  me.     A  dance  on 
board  ship  is  always  more  pleasant  than 
I  in  a  ball-room,  not  that  the  latter  is 
I  less  commodious  or  convenient,  but  be- 
cause the  former  is  a  novelty.     The 
I  decorations  are  different,  and  even  the 
I  natural  obstacles  of  the  place  are  either 
I  concealed  with  taste,  or  converted  into 
I  objects  of  use  or  ornament     The  effect 
lis  produced  by  great  trouble  and  inge- 
Inaity,  and  who  are  there  who  do  not 
jpersoually  appropriate  much  of  this  as 
la  compliment  to  themselves  t    The  part 
lof  host  is  placed  not  by  one,  but  by 
Itweaty;  for  every  officer  is  interested  in 
jthe  honor  of  the  ship,  and  the  reputa- 
Ition  of  her  hospitality ;  and  what  can- 
Inot  many  hands,  heads,  and  hearts  ao- 
pomplish?     The  dance  (for,  after  all, 
khough  the  regatta  was  the  professed 
pbjeot,  this  was    the    real  attraction, 
fhioh  was  on  the  main  deck),  from  the 
hour,  the  place,  and  the  occasion,  par- 
'  ak  more  of  the  character  of  a  private 


party  than  a  public  entertainment,  and 
was  accordingly  more  agreeable  in  pro- 
portion as  iA,  was  less  formal. 

"  '  Ah,  Sandford,'  said  tho  Admiral, 
who  was  delighted  beyond  measure, '  I 
wish  you  had  your  robes  on — we  would 
try  that  jig  now  ;  wouldn't  wo  astonish 
the  boys,  eh  ?  D — n  them !  they  look 
as  solemn,  and  dance  as  heavily,  as  if 
they  were  stamping  their  feet  to  keep 
them  warm  at  a  funeral  in  winter  I 
Look  at  that ,  dandy — it  is  half-past 
twelve  o'clock  with  the  navy,  when  you 
see  such  fellows  as  that  on  the  quarter- 
deck. It  was  a  bad  day  for  the  service 
when  the  king  sent  his  son  to  sea.  It 
made  it  fashionable,  and  fashion  plays 
the  devil  with  a  ship.  We  should  al- 
ways keep  up  the  distinctions  between 
the  services.  Let  the  army  be  fashiona- 
ble, and  the  navy  manly,  and  if  they 
stick  to  that,  they  may  keep  their 
troops  at  home  for  parades  and  reviews, 
and  we  will  do  all  the  fighting  for  them  :' 
and,  lowering  his  voice,  said,  'I  don't 
know  what  you  intend  to  do,  but  the 
sun  is  over  the  fore-yard,  and  I  am  go- 
ing to  have  a  glass  of  grog.  I  suppose 
it  would  horrify  Sampson  to  ask  him, 
for  he  is  too  fashionable  for  that,  and, 
if  he  wasn't,  his  stock  is  buckled  so 
tight,  he  couldn't  bend  his  head  back 
sufficiently  to  swallow  it.  He  is  not  a 
bad  fellow,  though,  after  all,  but  he  is 
one  of  the  old  school  of  pipeclay  and 
pomatum  soldiers,  and  is  as  stiff  and 
starched  as  a  shirt  collar.' 

''  In  the  midst  of  gaiety  there  is  al« 
ways  sadness.  The  chords  of  pleasure 
are  so  interwoven  with  those  of  melan- 
choly in  the  human  mind,  that  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  touch  the  one  without  causing  a 
vibration  of  the  other.  Like  the  strings 
of  an  ^olian  harp,  they  all  awaken  to 
life  under  the  influence  of  the  same 
whispering  breeze,  and  blend  their  joy> 
ous  notes  and  pensive  wailings  together. 
The  Admiral  seemed  to  be  sensibly 
affected  by  this  mysterjous  feeling.  But 
it  was  a  mere  suaden  emotion,  as  fleet- 
ing and  as  transitory  as  a  cloud  passing 
lover  the  sun. 

<' '  Sandford,"  be  said, '  the  other  day 
(for  it  appears  no  longer  ago)  I  was  a 


•I  * 


\ii 


r 


1^ 


Ml 

J' 


a*- 


'';!•.  ? 


Ik 

r 


■'  mm, 

I?   ! 


74 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


midshipman  in  this  port — I  am  now 
oommaader-ia-obief  at  the  dama  pUoe : 
that  was  my  first,  and  this  will  be  my 
last  oraise  in  life,  for,  wlien  I  retttru 
home,  I  shall  be  put  on  the  shelf,  or 
perhaps  converted  into  a  sort  of  bulk, 
or  receiving  ship,  an  old  port  Admiral : 
it  is  a  short  run  we  make  of  it  in  this 
life,  after  all,  ain't  it  ?  How  sad  a 
thins.  Hullo,  sir  I'  he  said,  oalUns  oat 
aloud  to  a  servant, '  if  you  don't  Know 
better  than  that,  by  Jove,  I'll  have  you 
taught  in  a  way  you  won't  forget  I  I'll 
give  you  three  dozen,  as  swe  as  you  are 
born.  D — n  that  fellow  I  be  has  knooked 
all  the  sentimentality  out  of  nie.     And 


above  who  desired  to  speak  to  him  for  a 
moment  on  urgent  business.  As  soon 
as  the  Justice  made  his  appearance  on 
deck,  the  boatswain  seized  himj  stripped 
bim,  and,  tying  him  up,  gave  a  dozen 
lashes.  Each  of  the  others  wore  sever- 
ally summoned,  and  punished  in  a  sim- 
ilar manner,  when  they  were  set  on 
shore — the  anchor  was  hoisted,  and  the 
vessel  pat  under  weigh  for  England.' 

"Bat  to  return   to  the  party;   the 
company  was  a  mixed  one,  every  officer  ^ 
havug  invited  his  own  friends,  and  ^ 
some  of    them    haying    made    rather 
strange    acquaintances. — I  heaid    one 
of  the  young  ludies  object  to  a  tune  I 


yet,  I  don't  know  but  what  I  ought  to    which  she  said  was  as  old  as  '  three 


thank  him  for  it,  for  a  man  that  talks 
foolishly  may  soon  begin  to  act  foolishly. 
But  come,  old  boy,  lot  us  have  that 
glass  of  grog. 

" '  Talking  of  giving  that  fellow  three 
dosen,'  he  continued,  'puts  mo  in  mind 
of  a  prank  of  my  uncle,  Sir  Peter's. 
Previous  to  the  American  robellionf  be 
commanded  a  frigate  on  the  Boston 
station :  having  put  into  one  of  the  Pu- 
ritanical  ports  of  New  England,  he 
happened  to  dine  on  shore,  and,  as  usual 
with  him  when  not  on  board,  got  tipsy. 
The  select  men,  who  affected  to  be 
dreadfully  shocked  at  such  a  bad  ex* 
ample  being  set  by  people  iu  high  places, 
apprehended  him,  and  put  him  in  the 
stocks  as  a  terror  to  all  evildoers.  For 
once  in  his  life  (for  he  was  a  violent 
tempered  man),  he  uttered  no  threats, 
and  made  no  complaints,  but  quietly 
submitted  himself  to  the  iaevitaole  in- 
sult. On  the  following  day  be  called 
upon  the  committing  magistrates,  ap< 
plauded  their  zeal  and  impartialitv  in 
administering  the  law,  and  invited  them 
to  come  and  dine  on  board  with  bim,  as 
a  proof  that  they  no  lonser  harbored 
an^  resentment  against  uim  for  the 
heinous  offence  he  had  perpetrated. 
This  they  readily  agreed  to  do,  and 
were  accordingly^  most  kindly  received 
and  hoBpitably  entertained,  and  enjoved 
themselves  exceedingly,  As  the  time 
approached  for  their  departure,  a  serv-* 
ant  entered  the  cabin,  and  whispered  to 
the  custos  that  there  was  a  gentlemaa 


grandmothers  ago,'  and  another  observe 
that  Lord  Heather  had  his  '  high  and 
mighty  boots  on,'  and  was  quite  '  l)igh- 
oock  spotty'  to-day.  The  sentiment 
was  old,  though  the  phraseology  wu 
novel,  and  it  must  be  admitted  that  if 
there  was  nothing  but  proprieties  is 
this  life,  we  might,  perht^ps,  lose  in  in- 
sipidity as  much  as  we  gained  in  refine- 
ment. The  maxim  that  extremes  meet 
was  fully  verified,  for  the  smallest  mid- 
shipmen seemed  to  pride  thenselyes  on 
havinff  the  tallest  partners.  I  heard 
one  little  fellow,  who  threw  back  liii 
bead  and  looked  up  at  his  cAere  amie,  as 
if  he  were  addressing  the  man  at  the 
mast-head,  say, '  I  hope  you  will  keep  a 
good  look-out,  or  ^'  shall  run  foul  of 
the  captain.'  '■  Sta>  kjoard,  Milne,'  saiii 
one. — *  Larboard,  Skipsey,'  said  another. 
while  a  third  advised  his  friend,  who 
appeared  to  be  steering  widely,  to  *■  poii 
his  helm.' 

"  The  great  object  of  attraction  wiu 
an  American  heiress  of  immense  for 
tune,  a  young  lady  from  New  Orleans 
She*  was  the  daughter  of «an  undertaker 
in  that  city,  which  was  the  best  staD(i| 
in  the  Union,  as  he  boasted,  for  a  mao 
in  his  line  of  business.  His  coffins 
were  made  in  Massachusetts  by  va 
ehinery,  and  served  the  double  purpoN 
of  conveying '  New  England  notions '  t« 
the  Mississippi,  and  the  dead  to  tL 
churchyards.  But,  alas  for  human  eX' 
pectations !  the-  delicate  girl  of  a  sickij 
climate,  who  had  been  enriched  by  thi 


to  him  for  a 

98.      As  800D 

ppearanoe  on 
liimj  stripped 
ave  \  dozen 

8  wore  sever- 
bed  in  a  sini' 
were  set  on 
sted,  and  the 

England.' 

9  party;  tho 
,  every  offioet 
friends,  and 
made  ratfi,)r 
[  he&id  one 
ct  to  a  tune 
)ld  as  'three 
other  observe 
his  '  high  and 
I  quite  '  l^igh- 
he  sentiment 
-aseology  wai 
uitted  that  if 
proprieties  in 
ips,  lose  in  in- 
lued  in  refine- 
extremes  meet 
smallest  mid 
thenselyes  on 
ers.  I  heard 
rew  back  hit 

chere  amie^  as 

16  man  at  the 

9U  will  keep  a 

ran  foul  of 

Milne,'  said 

said  another. 

is  friend,  wiio 

idely,  to '  port 

attraction  wa* 
immense  for 
New  Orlean 
lan  undertaker 
ihe  best  stanii 
ted,  for  a  man 
His  coffini 
asetts  by  ma 
loublo  purpoK 
,ud  notions '  t" 
dead  to  tl 
ibr  human  ei 
girl  of  a  sickij 
iriohed  by  tin 


THE  OLD  ADMIRAL  AND  THE  OLD  GENERAL. 


7B 


toll-bouse  of  the  grave,  vampire-like, 
was  plethoric  and  heavy.  She  looked 
like  a  hospital  nurse  that  faithfully 
delivered  the  medicines  to  the  patients, 
and  appropriated  the  wine  and  porter 
of  the  convalescents  to  herself  Never 
was  there  such  a  disappointment ;  for, 
after  all,  it  is  easy  to  invest  with  divini- 
ty the  being  that  presides  over  funeral 
obsequies,  and  there  is  sublimity  as  well 
Ki  poetry  in  the  grave,  but  reptiles  alone 
fatten  on  corruption.  '  Stay,  Bill,'  said 
a  little  humorist  to  his  companion, '  she 
may  have  a  million  of  money,  but  I'm 
blowed  if  she  is  worth  a  d — n,  after 
aU!' 

"  If,  however,  she  had  thriven  by  car- 
ing for  the  dead,  there  was  one  of  the 
company  who  was  nearly  worn  out  by 
caring  for  the  living.  He  was  an  active 
little  old  man,  with  a  benevolent  though 
remarkably. ugly  face,  and,  judging  by 
bis  dress,  belonged  to  some  public  de- 
partment. His  head  was  uncommonly 
bald,  and  very  nearly  round,  which, 
with  the  yellow  tiui  of  the  skin,  suggest- 
ed the  idea  of  a  bail  of  soap  that  had 
fallen  on  the  floor,  and,  rolling  on  the 
carpet,  had  gathered  a  few  hairs.  He 
attended  at  the  ladder,  and  assisted  the 
ladies  in  their  ascent  to  the  deck ;  cau- 
tioned them  against  portholes  and 
hatches,  which,  though  closed,  might 
open  of  themselves,  and  precipitate  them 
either  into  the  hold  or  the  harbor  ; 
pointed  out  the  cannon,  and  entreated 
them  not  to  stumble  over  them,  as  they 
might  fracture  their  limbs  ;  and,  above 
all,  advised  them  'not  to  stand  in 
draughts,  or*  take  ice-creams  when  they 
were  heated.  He  had  a  long  catalogtib 
of  -accidents  wherewith  to  illustrate 
every  caution,  and  several  ingenious  in- 
ventions to  counteract  the  effects  of 
damps  or  chills. 

''  The  Admiral,  whose  attention  was 
directed  to  him  while  he  stood  bowing 
to  the  ladies,  and  rubbing  his  hands, 
asked  who  that  'little  wash-my-hand 
sort  of  a  person  was,'  and,  on  being  in- 
formed that  his  name  was  Davis,  recog- 
nized him  as  a  barrack-master  whom  he 
bad  known  at  Malta,  and  immediately 
addressed  him,  complimenting  him  upon 


having  '  worn  so  well'  '  Ah,  my  dear 
Sir  James,'  he  said,  '  my  good  looks 
have  ruined  me.  It  is  the  worst  thing 
in  the  world  to  have  a  juvenile  face. 
The  medical  board  refused  to  superan- 
nuate me  last  year,  saying  I  was  an  ac- 
tive man  yet,  and  fit  for  service.  Most 
men  like  to  look  young,  or  to  be  thought 
young,  but,  alas  t  my  good  looks  have 
been  a  great  misfortune  to  me.  They 
have  broken  my  heart— yes,  yes!  they 
will  be  the  death  of  me  yet.  But  don't 
let  me  detain  you  here,  sir,  in  the 
draught  of  this  awning  ;  it  is  very  dan- 
gerous, Tery  liable  to  give  cold,  or  bring 
on  rheumatism — they  are  the  cause  of 
half  the  illness  in  the  country.'  '  You 
should  have  stood  in  one  of  them  your- 
self, then,  my  old  friend,'  was  the  good- 
humored  reply,  '  before  you  applied  to 
the  board  for  your  superannuation.' 

''  The  lunch,  which  was  a  capital  one, 
was  a  merry  affair,  and  every  body 
seemed  to  enjoy  themselves  uncommon- 
ly. But  where  was  there  ever  a  mid- 
shipman without  a  jyactical  joke  attest- 
ing his  presence  1  The  Governor's  bat 
had  exchanged  its  plume  for  a  sprig  of 
spruce,  and  a  commissary-general,  whose 
sword-belt  had  been  shortened  so  that 
it  would  no  longer  buckle  round  him, 
was  heard  to  exclaim, '  Good  heavens ! 
is  it  possible  the  luncheon  conld  have 
made  all  this  difference  in  my  size  V 

"While  roaming  about  the  ship,  I 
was  a  good  deal  surprised  at  the  apathy 
of  a  sailor,  who  was  sitting  with  his 
back  turned  to  the  gay  scene,  quietly 
stitching  a  pair  of  shoes,  with  the  most 
philosophical  indifference  to  all  that 
was  passing  around  him.  In  reply  to 
some  remark  I  made  on  tlie  subject  of 
the  party,  he  said, '  Ah,  sir,  I  have  seen 
enough  of  them  in  my  day — our  part 
of  the  entertainment  will  come  tomor- 
row,  when  we  have  to  clear  up  the  ship, 
which  will  be  in  a  devil  of  a  mess  when 
it's  all  over.' 

'■'  The  big-wigs,  ag  the  naval  and  mili- 
commanders-in-chief  r.:re  called  by  the 
youngsters,  were  now  preparing  to  go . 
on  shore,  .iud  the  former  pressed  mo  to 
accompany  them.  As  they  were  about 
to  descend  the  side  of  the  ship,  our  old 


xji 


**^.. 


76 


THE  OLD  JUD3E!    OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


I'Mn 


'  «fi»^ 


friend  Paul  made  bis  appearanco  again. 
'  Ah,  Mr.  Gubbernor,'  be  said,  <  sartin 
me  lose  yery  muob  yesterday — my  camp 
all  burned  up — Poul  very  poor  now.' 
'  I  am  very  sorry  for  you,'  was  the  reply. 
*  Yes,  brudder,  but  how  i^uoh  are  you 
sorry?  Are  you  sorry  one  pound?' 
The  ruse  was  successful,  and  the  contri- 
bution, as  a  measure  of  grief,  was  paid 
to  him.  '  And  you,  Mr.  Admiral,  now 
mnoh  you  sorry  V  Another  pound  re- 
warded this  appeal  also.     '  Thank  you, 


brudders — sartin  white  man's  pocket 
like  brook,  keep  run  all  the  time,  and 
never  get  emptv.  Indian  man's  pocket 
all  same  as  glass  of  rum,  one  drink, 
and  it!s  all  gone.' 

"  We  now  left  the  ship ;  and  at  the 
dockyard  gate,  where  their  respective 
carriages  were  in  attendance,  the  old 
Admiral  and  the  old  General  cordially 
shook  hands  with  each  other,  and 
parted." 


;ii 


■   f  .: 


,.    •n 


i 


•.I...'  -ii,- 


*   ''    •  „) 


x* 


A  .'■ 


»!'  If-' 


UH' 


THE  FIRST  SEHLERS. 


?■'" 


t'-' 


Nothing  utonisbes  the  inhabitants 
of  these  colonies  more  than  tue  poverty, 
ignorance,  and  degradation  of  the  peo- 
ple wh0  are  landed  upon  their  shores, 
nrom  the  passenger  ships  that  annually 
arrive  from  Europe.  The  destitution 
of  these  unfortunate  emigrants  so  far 
I  exceeds  any  thing  ever  seen  among  the 
native  population,  that  they  cannot  un- 
derstand how  it  is  possible  that  human 
beings  can  voluntarily  surrender  ^hem- 
Belves  as  willing  victims  to  starvation, 
I  who  have  the  bodily  strength  to  work,, 
and  the  opportunities  of  earning  their 
bread,  as  it  is  well  known  they  have  in 
their  own  country.  Although  they  are 
too  often  the  dupes  of  demagogues 
themselves,  they  are  too  proud  to  re- 
ceive alms,  live  in  a  country  too  poor  to 
feed  wilful  idleness,  and  no  man  has 
ever  yet  had  the  hardihood  to  incite 
I  them  to.  rapine  and  murder. 

Though  neither  frugal  nor  diligent, 
I  they  cannot  conceive  a  people  being 
I  satisfied  with  less  than  a  decent  main- 
Itenanoe,  or  being  so  debased  as  to  beg, 
lor  so  wicked  as  to  take  by  violence  what 
Itbey  can  earn  by  labor.  They  are  a 
Ikiud  and  affectionate  people,  and  hear 
■with  horror  of  the  atrocious  crimes 
Iwith  which,  alas  I  so  many  of  these 
[strangers  are  familiar  at  home. 

A  ^roup  of  these  unfortunate  and 
Imisguided  people,  arriving  at  Elmsdale 
[this  morning,  sought,  or,  I  should  rather 
[say  demanded,  pecuniary  aid,  for  their 
Itone  was  more  exacting  than  supplicat- 
jing.  As  they  were  all  able-bodied  men, 
[they  received  an  offer  of  employment, 
rhioh,  tboy  were  informed,  was  the 
Coarse  usually  adopted  at  that  place,  as 


best  suited  to  the  means  of  the  proprie- 
tor, and  the  object  they  had  in  view,  of 
earning  a  subsistence.  This  they  re< 
fused,  not  only  with  incivility,  but  with 
a  distinct  avowal  that,  if  they  were  in 
their  own  country,  they  would  take  a 
very  summary  mode  of  enforcing  com- 
pliance with  their  wishes. 

"  0,"  said  the  Judge,  "  what  a  change 
has  come  over  this  continent  I  These 
men,  who  begin  by  begging  or  stealing, 
end  by  governing.  Political  power  is 
possessed  by  the  mass,  and  this  stream 
of  pauperism  :ncreases  and  pollutes  it ; 
and,  whatever  our  neighbors  may  say 
to  the  contrary,  civilization  is  retro- 
grading, and  not  advancing.  In  this 
Erovince,  all  our  emigrants  of  late  years, 
ave  been  poor  and  illiterate.  The  first 
settlers  were  scholars  and  gentlemen. 
You  may  rfjCoUect  I  related  to  you, 
some  time  ego,  the  particulars  of  a  sin- 
gular trial  I  was  concerned  in  at  Ply- 
mouth, in  which  one  Barkins  was  my 
client,  and  the  reluctance  I  had  to  go 
there,  in  consequence  of  an  interesting 
examination  I  was  making  of  the  scene 
of  the  first  effective  settlement  made  in 
this  continent  at  Annapolis.  The  peo- 
ple who  discovered  and  colonized  this 
country  were  so  different  from  those 
who  come  to  us  in  the  present  day,  that 
it  may  amuse  you  to  hear  the  result  of 
my  investigations. 

^'  During  one  of  my  visits  to  Paris,  1 
had  accidentally  met  with  the  Journal 
of  Mark  Lesoarbot,  a  French  lawyer, 
who  had  accompanied  the  exploring 
party  that  first  visited  this  part  of  Amer- 
ica. With  this  book  in  my  hand  (which 
was  published  as  early  as  1600)  I  traced 


I,-! 


'''■•T'-. 


-*. 


f 

It.  jj 
"  K 


•^^ 

»<** 


1 


i 


fM.f 


Pif 


i* 


I 


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a 


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78 


THB  OLD  JUDGE  t  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


khoir  movements  from  place  to  place,  in 
their  attempt  at  colonization.  On  the 
8th  of  NoTcmber,  1603,  Henry  IV.  of 
France  granted  to  the  Sieur  de  Monts, 
a  gentleman  of  his  bed-chamber,  a  pa- 
tent, constituting  him  Lieutenant-Gen- 
eral  of  L'Acadi  (now  Nova  Scotia),  with 
power  to  conquer  and  GhriatianiEe  the 
inhabitants.  On  the  7th  of  March, 
having  equipped  two  vessels,  he  set  soil 
from  Havre  de  Grace,  accompanied  by 
the  celebrated  Ohamplain  and  Monsieur 
Poutrincourt,  and  arrived  on  the  7th  of 
May  at  a  harbor  (^Liverpool)  on  the 
south-east  shore  of  the  province.  From 
thence  thoy  continued  coasting  the 
oountry,  until  they  arrived  at  the  Bay 
'  of  Funday.  On  the  eastern  side  of  t'  's 
bay  they  discovered  a  narrow  strait,  into 
which  they  entered,  and  soon  found 
themselves  in  a  spacious  basin,  environed 
with  hills,  from  which  desoeoded  streams 
of  fresh  water.  Between  these  high 
lands  ran  a  large  navigable  river,  to 
which  they  gave  the  name  of  L'Equille. 
It  was  bordered  by  fertile  meadows,  and 
filled  with  delicate  fish.  Poutrincourt, 
charmed  with  the  beauty  of  the  place, 
gave  it  the  name  of  Port  Royal  (now 
Annapolis).  After  exploring  the  neigh- 
borhood, and  refreshing  themselves, 
they  ascended  the  river  Saint  John,  as 
far  as  Frcdericton,  and  then,  visiting 
the  coast  of  Maine,  spent  the  winter  of 
1604-5  at  the  island  of  Saint  Croix,  the 
identity  of  which  has  lately  been  the 
subject  of  so  much  discussion  between 
the  governments  of  Great  Britain  and 
^he  United  States.  The  weather  proved 
very  severe,  and  the  people  suffered  so 
much  from  scurvy,  that  thirty-six  of 
them  died.  The  remaining  forty,  who 
were  all  invalids,  lingered  on  till  the 
spring,  when  they  recovered,  by  means 
of  the  fresh  vegetation. 

''  After  an  ineffectual  attempt  to  reach 
a  more  southern  climate,  they  reorossed 
the  bay  to  Port  Royal,  where  they  found 
a  reinforcement  from  France  of  forty 
men,  under  the  command  of  Dupont. 
They  then  proceeded  to  erect  buildings 
on  the  spot  where  Annapolis  now  stands, 
with  a  view  to  a  permanent  occupation 
of  the  country     De  Monts  and  Pou- 


trincourt, having  put  their  afRiirs  in  .i  I 
good  order  as  possible,  embarked  in  tb« 
autumn  for  France,  leaving  Pontgrage 
Commandant,     with     Champlain     and 
Champdore  as  Lieutenants,  to  perfect 
the  settlement  and  explore  the  country. 
During  the  winter,  they  wore  plentifullj  i 
supplied  by  the  savages  with  venison. 
and  a  great  trade  was  carried  on  fori 
furs.     Nothing  is  said' of  the  scurvy, 
but  they  had  a  short  allowance  of  bread,! 
not  by  reason  of  any  scarcity  of  corn,] 
but  because  they  had  no  means  of  grind- 
m^  it,  except  a  hand-mill,  which  r^ 
quired  hard  and  continued  labor.     The 
savages  were  so  averse  to  this  exercise, 
that  thev  preferred  hunger  to  the  task 
of  grinding,  though  they  were  offered 
half  of  the  flour  in  payment.     Dc  Monti 
and  Poutrincourt  ^ere  at  that  time  in 
France,  preparing,  under  every  discour  | 
agement,  for  another  voyage. 

•♦On  the  13th  of  May,  1606,  thejl 
sailed  from  Rochelle,  accompanied  by  I 
Lesearbot,  who  has  left  us  a  record  of  I 
their  proceedings  ;  and,  on  the  27th  of  I 
July,  arrived  at  Port  Royal.  To  their) 
astonishment,  they  found  but  two  per-[ 
sons  remaining.  The  rest,  conjecturingl 
from  the  long  absence  of  succor,  that  I 
the  settlement  had  been  abandoned  by  I 
De  Monts,  compelled  the  officer  in  charge  I 
to  sail  for  Canseau,  in  order  that  thejl 
might  obtain  a  passage  to  France  in  I 
some  of  the  fishing  vessels  that  fre-l 
quented  that  port.  Two  men,  however,  [ 
having  more  courage  and  more  fiiitli| 
than  the  others  (La  Taille  and  Me-I 
quelet),  volunteered  to  remain  and  guardl 
tne  stores  and  the  buildings.  Thesel 
faithful  retainers  were  at  their  dinner.l 
when  a  savage  rushed  in  and  informeiil 
them  that  a  sail  was  in  sight,  which  thu;l 
soon  discovered  to  be  the  long  expectedl 
vessel  of  their  chief  Poutrincourt  no»| 
began  his  plantation;  and,  having  clear<[ 
ed  a  spot  of  ground,  sowed  EuropeaBJ 
corn  and  several  kinds  of  garden  vcgef 
tables. 

"  But,  notwithstanding  all  the  beautjl 
and  fertility  of  Port  Royal,  De  Mont»j 
had  still  a  desire  to  make  discoverietl 
further  towards  the  south.  Me  ther»| 
fore  prevailed  upon   Poutrincourt 


JJs. 


THE  FIRST  SETTLERS. 


79 


f  succor,  that! 


nndertake  a  voyage  to  Cape  Mslabarre 
(Gape  Cod),  and,  on  tho  2Sth  of  Augast, 
the  ship  and  tho  barnuc  both  put  to  sea. 
In  the  former,  Do  Monts  and  Dapont 
returned  to  Franco,  while  Poutrinoourt, 
Obamplain,  Chainpdore,  and  others, 
orosscd  the  bay  to  Saint  Croix,  and  then 
eontinned  their  survey  of  the  coast.  In 
the  mean  time,  Lescarbot,  who  remained 
behind  at  Port  Royal,  was  busily  em- 
ployed in  the  cultivation  of  the  garden, 
harvesting  the  crop,  completing  the 
buildings,  and  visiling  the  encampments 
of  the  natives  in  the  interior. 

"  On  the  14th  of  November,  Poutrin- 
court  returned  from  his  exploring  voy- 
age, which  had  proved  disastrous,  and 
was  received  with  every  demonstration  of 
joy  by  the  party  at  the  fort.  Lescarbot 
had  erected  a  temporary  stage,  which 
he  called  the  '  Theatre  of  Neptune/  from 
which  he  recited  a  poetical  address  to 
his  friend,  congratulating  him  on  bis 
safe  arrival,  probably  the  first  verses 
ever  written  in  North  America.  Over 
the  gate  were  placed  the  royal  arms  of 
France,  encircled  with  evergreens,  with 
the  motto, 

'DVO  PROTEGIT  VNVS.' 

"  Above  the  door  of  the  house  of  De 
Monts  were  placed  his  arms,  embellished 
in  a  similar  manner,  with  the  inscrip- 
tion, 

DABIT  DEUS  HIS  QUOQUE  FINEM.' 

"  Poutrinoourt's  apartments  were 
graced  with  the  same  simple  decoration, 
having  the  classical  superscription, 

•IN VI A  VIRTUTI  NVLLA  EST  VIA.' 

"  The  manner  in  which  they  spent  the 
third  winter  (1606-7)  was  social  and 
festive.  Poutrincourt  established  the 
order  of '  Le  Bon  Temps,'  of  which  the 
principal  officers  and  gentlemen,  fifteen 
in  number,  Were  members.  Every  one 
was  maitre  d'hdtd  in  his  turn  for  one 
day,  beginning  with  Champlain,  who 
was  first  installed  into  the  office.  The 
president  (whom  the  Indians  called 
Atoctegi),  having  superintended  the  pre- 
parations, marched  to  the  table,  baton 
in  hand,  with  the  collar  of  the  order 
round  his  neck,  and  napkin  on  his  shoul- 


der, and  was  followed  by  the  others  suoofls- 
sively,  each  carrying  a  plato.  The  same 
form  was  observed  at  every  meal ;  and. 
at  the  conclusion  of  supper,  as  soon  as 
grace  was  said,  he  delivered,  with  much 
gravity,  his  insignia  o!  office  to  his  suc- 
cessor, and  pledget  him  in  a  cup  of 
wine.  The  advantage  of  this  institution 
was,  that  each  one  was  emulous  to  be 

Krepared  for  his  day,  by  previously 
anting  or  fishing,  or  purchasing  fish  or 
game  of  the  natives,  who  constantly  re- 
sided among  them,  and  were  extremely 
pleased  with  their  manners.  The  chien 
of  tho  savagcb  'Jrere  algne  allowed  the 
honor  of  sitting  at  their  table ;  the  others 
partook  of  the  hospitality  of  the  kitoh- 
en.  The  abundance  and  variety  of  the 
fare  this  winter  was  a  subject  of  no  little 
boasting  to  Lescarbot,  on  his  return  to 
Europe,  where  he  taunted  the  frequent- 
ers or  la  Rue  aux  Ours  de  Paris  (where 
was  one  of  the  first  eating  houses  of  the 
day),  that  they  know  nothing  of  the 
pleasures  of  the  table  who  had  not  par- 
taken  of  the  beavers'  tails,  and  the 
mouffles  of  tho  moose  of  Port  Royal. 
The  weather,  meanwhile,  was  particu- 
larly mild  and  agreeable. 

"  On  the  14th  of  January,  on  a  Sun- 
day, they  proceeded  by  water  two  leagues, 
to  a  corn-field,  where  they  dined  cheer- 
fully in  the  sunshine,  and  enjoyed  the 
music  of  their  fatherland.  You  will 
observe,  therefore,  my  dear  sir,  that, 
from  the  earliest  account  we  have  of 
this  climate,  it  has  always  had  the  same 
character  of  variableness  and  uncertain* 
ty.  The  winter  but  one  preceding  this 
(when  they  were  at  St.  Croix)  was  ex- 
tremely severe  ;  and,  we  are  informed, 
that  that  which  succeeded  it  was  re- 
markable for  the  most  intense  cold  the 
Indians  ever  recollected.  Their  time, 
however,  was  not  devoted  to  amusement 
alone.  They  erected  more  buildings, 
for  the  accommodation  of  other  adven- 
turers, whom  they  expected  to  join  them 
the  following  year,  in  making  pitch  for 
th6  repairs  of  their  vessels,  and,  above 
all,  in  putting  up  a  water-mill  to  grind 
their  corn.  In  this  latter  attempt 
they  completely  succeeded,  to  their  own 
infinite  relief  and  the  great  amusement 


80 


THE  OLD  JUDQE;    OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


:H 


"» 

il 


!«l!:-    • 


of  the  savages.  Some  of  the  iron  work 
of  this  first  North  American  mill  ia  yet 
in  existence,  and  another  of  the  same 
kind  (Easson's  Mill)  still  occupies  the 
ancient  site. 

"  You  will,  perhaps,  smile  at  the  idea 
of  antiquities  in  a  country  which  is  uni- 
versally called  a  new  world ;  but  Amer- 
ica has  a  great  advantase  over  Europe 
in  this  respect,  that  it  has  a  record  of 
ita  birth,  while  the  origin  of  the  otlMT 


is  to  be  sought  for  in  the  region  of  fabk 
I  am  a  native  of  this  country,  and  this 
little  settlement  has  always  hadjgreat 
attrao^ons  for  me,  who  am  an  old  Tory, 
from  its  primogeniture  being  two  y«arH 
older  than  James  Town,  in  Virginia, 
and  three  years  senior  to  Quebeo,'whicb 
was  settled  twelve  years  before  the  land' 
ing  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  in  MaMMoh'v 

sett*."         -      ■;■:■  :  ■>:.•■      •::  •'      T     •   ." 


■.::'•.  t ' 
;     tft" 


!-\    i 


i;.V 


>     ,'  \-       i:  ■ 

.■'  po/h  t: 

'.)::•,, 

■  ■  ■<  :.•  ■ 

'..■-.:  ■;.■■,> 

,  -;- 

.     J*, !«.('.' 

,;.>;■(., J    .1-..,.- 

I.- 

> 

V   ,.  :..,ia 

■!'■''!   '.■>:•:!' 

.;■•!='■  1 

i  h. 

,1   «'•>  •'''»   ■ 

'  ;    'iir^y;'.'  ■ 

'  r     • . 

i  ■ 

■■■:.' f7. 

■  ,  "     '•II    . 

'     .     ■ 

'    :  .    •-  fni 

at -I 

■      n     ^>?w'-;V 

=  ,  ,1    ■)■'  ] 

1) 


■  I      ■<    I  ,    * 
t     .  1  ■,  !■>' 


/    . 


■•-■•■•^     ... 


'>l 

•  '.•;'•   )•' 

'  '..'[if 

''V/.-' 

t 

-          *•!■',  '' 

■!t 

•^'   ■)    ■^.- 

1 

* 


The  she 
nenced  mo 
Barclay  anc 
Foxville,  wl 
dsnt,  and  oi 
snccGss,  the 
ow  between 
woodcock, 
voodod  proi 
alluvial  lau( 
I  heard  th( 
gome  little 
distress;  ai 
certain  the 
sound  came 
lowing  extr) 

" 0,  Johi 
me  die '  I'c 
How  can  yc 
—to  which  \ 
thetically  n 

«0,  no, 
won't  hurt ' 

"I  tell" 
die!" 

«  There, 

«Yes,  bi 
Let  mo  die 

Rushing 
could,  I  sv 
yonng  worn 
pended  be< 
rope  attach 
which  her  ^ 
wards  and 
motion.  1 
had  used,  : 
technical  t 
of  the  impi 
regulated  \ 
I  found,  t( 


li'i! 


gion  of  fabIa 
try,  and  thii 
ys  had  great 
an  old  Tory, 

ng  two  y*arH 
in  Virginia, 
[uebeo,'whicl: 
fore  the  land' 
in  Maaaaohrk 

1  ..^  .  , 

The 

menoed 
Barclay 

V         ! 


■t  -  ■;h'- ''  '         ■■'-■  !*..'*;    •    '^  ■■'■I     ':.    'I'.f.^   '•      ,1 

»i     .  *>-.  '■'■■;.;:!         ■•'.:►;      :  '••v*.- ..  j     i.,i       ,-.._  .. 

»    ■■•  '•■' .  ■■:■_•           ;f">iii   ,.•  jU    ^    ■   . 
!,.       ■  .f  /  '     '       .  ,    A... A. ,.,  ,    : 


'    "'  f 


MERRY-MAKING& 


C'h/  >!.>'  .  :-;-rr 


E..-|>  1  t\  <-f     '-./vy 


shooting  season  having  corn- 
most  favorably  this  autumn, 
Barclay  and  myself  spent  a  few  days  at 
Foxville,  where  the  snipe  are  very  abun- 
dant, and  on  our  return  tried,  with  great 
success,  the  copse  that  skirts  the  mead- 
ow between  Elmsdale  and  lUinoo  for 
woodcock.  While  crossing  a  little 
wooded  promontory  that  intersected  the 
allavial  land,  and  interrupted  our  sport, 
I  heard  the  shrill  voice  of  a  female  at 
gome  little  distance,  in  great  apparent 
distress ;  and,  stopping  a  moment  to  as- 
certain the  direction  from  whence  the 
sound  came,  I  distinctly  heard  the  fol- 
lowing extraordinary  dialogue. 

"  0,  John  !  my  head !  my  head  f — ^let 
me  die '  I'd  rather  die  ! — O,  John,  do ! 
How  can  you  act  so  ?  0,  let  me  die  I" 
—to  which  the  person  appealed  to  so  pa- 
thetically replied — 

"  0,  no,  Sally,  don't  be  scared — it 
won't  hurt  you — live  a  little  longer." 

"  I  tell  you  I'd  rather  die — I  will 
die!" 

"  There,  then,  if  you  must  die,  die  '." 

"  Yes,  but  not  so  suddenly,  John. 
Let  mo  die  easy  I" 

Rushing  forward  with  what  speed  I 
could,  I  suddenly  caught  a  view  of  a 
yonng  woman,  seated  in  a  swing,  sus- 
pended between  two  trees,  having  a 
rope  attached  to  the  seat,  by  means  of 
which  her  companion  forced  her  back- 
wards and  forwards,  in  her  pendulous 
motion.  The  alarming  language  she 
had  used,  it  appeared,  was  merely  the 
technical  term  applied  tc  Iho  cessation 
of  the  impulse  given  by  t'.o  ropes  that 
regulated  the  movement.  And  dying, 
I  found,  to  my  surprise,  meant  not  to 
6 


eease  to  lire,  but  to  cease  swinging' 
The  fair  one  who  had  so  unconciously 
terrified  me  by  her  screams  of  afiright, 
and,  as  I  thought,  by  her  threats  of  su- 
icide, was  a  stoat,  strong,  blooming 
country  girl,  of  about  eighteen  years  of 
age  ;  and  her  attendant,  a  good-natur- 
ed, awkward,  rustic  admirer,  but  little 
older  than  herself  She  bad  died,  as 
she  desired,  by  the  time  I  had  reached 
the  spot,  the  swing  being  nearly  motion- 
less, and  was  ready  to  be  safely  deposit- 
ed on  and  not  in  the  ground,  as  I  had 
feared;  an  office  which  I  performed  for 
her,  to  the  surprise  and  evident  disap- 
pointment of  her  companion. 

"  I  was  properly  scared,  you  may  de- 
pend," she  said  ;  "  that's  a  fact :  a  body 
that  ain't  used  to  carry  their  head  so 
low  and  their  feet  so  high,  is  apt  to  get 
kind  of  dizsy,  and  haven't  ought  to  be 
thrown  up  so  hard,  all  of  a  suddent,  lest 
the  seat  might  sort  of  turn  bottom  up- 
wards." 

Seeing  a  number  of  tables  with  bas- 
kets upon  them,  in  an  open  glade,  at 
some  distance  before  us,  and  a  great 
concourse  of  people  assembling,  I  asked 
her  what  was  the  occasion  of  it. 

"  It  is  a  pickinick  stir,  sir,"  was  the 
reply. 

"  A  pickinick  stir !"  I  inquired ; "  what 
is  that  '^"  although,  from  the  prepara,- 
tions  that  were  making,  the  meaning 
was  perfectly  obvious,  out  I  wanted  to 
hear  her  definition  yet,  as  I  bad  nu 
doubt  she  would  express  herself  in  the 
same  droll  language. 

"  Lawful  heart!"  she  said,  ''  I  thought 
every  body  knew  what  a  pickinick  stir 
was.      Why,  it's  a  feed,   to   be  aiue, 


i^'\^i~ 


i- 


n 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;   OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


where  every  critter  finds  his  own  fod- 
der" 

"  Ah,"  I  said,  "  then  I  fear  I  am  an 
intruder,  for  I  have  no  fodder ;  and, 
what  is  worse,  I  am  neither  invited  nor 
expected.  I  regret  this  the  more,"  I 
added,  "  as  I  should  like  yery  much  to 
see  a  pickinick  stir." 

"  Ah, you  are  funning  now,  am't  you  ? 
Would  you,  though,  in  rael,  right  down 
earnest  V 

"  Certainly,"  I  said,  "  I  should  be  de- 
lighted." 

"  Well,  that's  very  easy  fixed,  any 
how.  John,"  she  said,  "  go  and  bring 
your  basket,  and  look  into  sister  Han- 
nah Dowler's  waggon,  and  fetch  the 
wooden  pail,  with  the  birch  bark  cover, 
and  no  handle  to  it ;  and  if  we  can't  find 
enough  for  the  stranger,  it's  a  pity,  that's 
all." 

John  hesitated  for  a  moment,  stand- 
ing before  her  with  a  very  sorrowful  ex- 
pression of  countenance,  as  if  to  catch 
an  assurance  from  her  eye  that  he  was 
not  to  be  deserted  for  another. 

"  Why,  what  ails  the  critter  ?"  she 
said,  "  that  you  stand  starin'  and  a  ga- 

{»in'  there,  as  vacant  as  a  spare  room, 
ooking  as  if  you  couldn't  hear,  and  had 
never  seed  a  body  afore  ;"  and  then,  al- 
tering her  manner,  as  if  the  truth  sud- 
denly flashed  upon  her,  she  added,  in  a 
milder  and  more  conciliatory  tone,  "  Go, 
John,  that*s  a  good  soul,  and  don't  be 
all  day  about  it :"  words  that  inspired 
new  life  and  most  rapid  motion  into  the 
jealous  swain.  She  then  seated  herself 
on  the  grass  near  the  declivity  of  the 
sloping  knoll,  and,  leaning  back,  sup- 
ported her  head  with  her  hand,  by  rest- 
ing on  her  elbow. 

''  Sit  down,"  she  said,  "  sitting  is  as 
cheap  as  standing,  when  you  don't  pay 
for  it,  and  twice  as  easy."  Obeying  ner 
command,  I  assumed  the  same  attitude, 
and  there  we  were,  who,  a  few  moments 
before,  had  never  seen  each  other,  in 
this  singularly  «^asy  position,  conversing 
face  to  face  as  unceremoniously  and  as 
freely  as  if  we  had  known  each  other  for 
years.  "  Dear  me,"  she  said,  as  her  eye 
fell  on  my  disengaged  hand,  for  the 
pther  was  concealed  by  my  hair,  "  what 


a  small  hand  you  have,  and  how  white 
it  is  I-  -what  do  you  do  to  make  it  ro 
white? — ^washin'  them  in  buttermilk 
they  say,  is  grand  ;  what  do  you  do  1" 

"  Nothing,"  I  replied ; "  wearing  glovei 
produces  the  effect." 

Ah  !"  she  said,  "  I  see,  you  belong  to 
the  quality,  I  suppose,  or  keep  a  stoi'«, 
or  sell  doctors'  means — and  haven't  to 
use  your  hands.  Mine"  (and  she  held 
up  one  of  hers,  and  examined  it  minute- 
ly^ "  are  horrid  hard,  ain't  they  ? — all 
crinkum  crankum  like,  and  criss-crossed 
every  which  way — sort  of  crisped  and 
chapped ;  but  it  can't  be  helped,  I  do 
suppose,  for  they  are  in  and  out  of  hot 
and  cold  water  for  everlasting." 

"It  is  lucky  it  doesn't  affect  thv 
lips,"  I  remarked. 

"Well,  so  it  is,"  she  replied,  and  add- 
ed, in  the  most  artless  manner  possible, 
"  I  vow,  I  never  thought  of  that  before, 
So  you  never  see  a  pickinick  stir,  sir." 

"  No,  not  here." 

"  What,  are  you  an  entire  strangei 
in  these  parts  ?" 

«  Yes." 

"  Lawful  heart,  you  don't  say  so! 
So  be  I.  I  live  to  the  mill-ponds  to 
Yarmouth,  where  I  am  to  homo ;  bnt 
now  I  am  on  a  visit  to  sister  Hannah, 
who  is  married  to  the  cross  roads. 
Then,  perhaps,  you  never  see  a  Bee 
stir?" 

«No.» 

"Nor  a  raising?''  t-^- 

"No."  /  ' 

"  Nor  a  quilting  ?" 

"  No." 

"Nor  a  husking?' 

«  No." 

"  Nor  a  berrying  ?" 

«  No." 

"  Scissors  and  pins ! — why,  you  hain't 
seen  nothing  of  our  ways  yet  I  Well, 
I've  been  to  'em  all,  and  I'll  tell  you 
what,  I  like  a  rolling  frolic  better  than 
all  on  them.  There  is  always  (un  at 
the  end  of  the  roll — if  you'll — but  here's 
John  ;  he's  generally  allowed  to  be  the 
greatest  hand  at  a  roll  in  these  clear- 
ings— the  critter's  so  strong  I  No,  it 
ain't  John,  neither.  Creation  I  how 
vexed  he  would  be  if  he  knowed  he  wu 


,  and  how  white 
)  to  make  it  ho 
I  in   buttermilk, 
at  do  you  do  ?" 
; "  wearing  glovei 

3e,  you  belong  to 

or  keep  a  stoi-e, 

—and  haven't  to 

"  (and  she  held 

mined  it  minute- 

ain't  they  ? — all 

and  criss-crossed 

of  crisped  and 

be  helped,  I  do 

t  and  out  of  hot 

lasting. " 

esn't    affect  tho 

replied,  and  add- 
manner  possible, 
it  of  that  before, 
[inick  stir,  sir." 

entire  stranger 


.  don't  say  so! 
le  mill-ponds  to 
I  to  homo ;  but 
sister  Hannah, 
be  cross  roads. 
37er  see  a  Bee 


-.fhy,  you  hain't 
ays  yet!  Well, 
nd  I'll  tell  vou 
'olio  better  than 
s  always  (un  at 
ou'll — but  here's 
lUowed  to  be  the 
1  in  these  clear- 
strong!  No,  it 
Creation  I  how 
3  knowed  he  wu 


■rrr 


MERRY-MAKINaS. 


■A: 


taken  for  that  scarecrow,  Norton  Hog, 
irho  looks,  for  all  the  world,  like  a  suit 
of  clothes,  hung  on  a  bean  pole  stuck 
oat  to  air ;  he  is  so  horrid  thin  I  Well, 
there's  no  accounting  for  taste — what  do 
you  think  now? — he  was  married  last 
week  to  Betsy  Spooner,  as  likely  a  gall 
as  you  will  see  any  where,  I  know — ^faot, 
I  assure  you,  she  is  twenty  and  he 
forty — exactly  twice  her  age ;  and  so, 
as  sister  Hannah  says,  when  she  is  fifty, 
he  will  be  a  hundred.  Isn't -it  a  hor- 
rible, scandalous  match  ?" 

"  Pray,  who  is  John  ?"  I  inquired  as 
I  saw  him  approach. 

«  Old  Mr.  Thad  Rafuse's  son." 

"  Is  he  to  be  the  happy  man  1" 

"  Well,  the  critter  is  happy  enough, 
for  jfll  I  know  t«  the  con/rary." 

"  If  I  am  in  the  country,  may  I  come 
to  the  wedding,  and  offer  a  bridal  pre- 
sent in  return  for  your  kindness  to- 
day?" 

"  Wedding ! — 0,  my ! — well,  I  neyer ! 
jjipw  I  understand  you.  Marry  John 
Kafuse !  Lord  love  you,  no !  not  unless 
I  can't  do  no  better,  I  can  tell  you. 
He's  well  enough,  and  won't  want,  see- 
ing his  father  is  well  to  do ;  but  be  ain't 
got  bo  force — he  wants  a  head-piece — 
he's  sort  of  under-baked.  I  ain't  in  no 
hurry  to  splice  neither,  at  anj-  rate, 
though  I  won't  just  say  I  wou';i  take 
John  Rafuse  at  no  time,  neither ;  for, 
as  Hannah  says,  a  poor  husband  is  bet- 
ter than  none ;  and  it's  handy  to  have 
a  man  about  the  house,  for  they  can  do 
little  chores  to  hpme,  and  run  of  errands. 
Are  you  married  ?" 

"No." 

"Why  don't  you?" 

"  Who  would  have  m^  ?" 

"Ah!  you  are  fishing  for  oompli- 
ments  now,  but 

Praise  to  the  face 
la  open  disgrace ; 

and  I  won't  humor  you,  for  men  are  so 
awful  consaited  I  I  guess  the  will,  and 
not  the  way,  is  wanted.  Why,  John," 
she  exclaimed,  on  looking  up,  and  ob- 
serving him  without  his  basket  and 
pail, "  what  on  airth  have  you  done  with 
ill  those  ohioken-fizings,  ham-trimmings, 
ud  doe-doings,  besides  the  pies,  notions, 


and  sarues;  has  any  thing  happened  to 
them?" 

''Squire  Barclay  told  me  to  thank 
you,  and  say  he  had  made  provision  for 
his  friend  and  himself,  and  here  he 
is." 

Having  arranged  matters  so  as  t« 
have  the  young  lady.  Miss  Sally  Horn 
as  our  neighbor  at  the  table,  Barclay 
and  I  left  the  young  couple  together, 
and  strolled  through  the  crowd,  and 
mingled  with  the  various  groups  that 
were  scattered  on  tho  green,  or  dis- 
persed in  the  woods. 

"  This,"  said  Barclay,  "  is  a  pic-nio, 
given  by  the  owner  and  builder  of  the 
large  timber  ship,  of  one  thousand  tons, 
we  saw  launched  at  lUinoo  yesterday,  to 
the  families  and  friends  of  those  who 
have  in  various  ways  been  engaged 
either  in  gathering  or  preparing  the 
materials,  or  putting  them  together  ; 
for  the  construction  of  a  vessel  of  such 
magnitude  gives  employment  to  a  vast 
number  of  people,  who  cut,  hew.  or  haul 
the  timber.  The  owner  is  also  desirous 
of  ingratiating  himself  with  the  people, 
over  whom  he  has  some  design  of  ac- 
quiring political  influence,  being  a  vio- 
lent democrat.  If  you  took  any  interest 
in  such  subjects,  it  would  amuse,  or 
rather  I  should  say  disgust  you,  no  see 
how  men  and  not  measures,  offir^^  and 
not  principle,  is  at  the  bottom  t  >  't 
colonial  politics.  As  it  is  his  hars  ,;^ue 
would  appear  to  you  like  a  foreigr;  lan- 
guage, and  really  the  idiom  is  w  i  worth 
acquiring.  Come  and  loolc  at  'bo  vehi- 
cles ;  such  a  strange  collect'ao  is  worth 
seeing." 

Hay-carts  filled  with  tempotary  seats, 
waggons  furnished  with  four  posts  and 
a  tester-like  awning  resemblii)g  a  bed- 
stead, carts  ornamented  with  buffalo 
robes,  or  having  their  rude  timbers  con-^ 
cealed  by  quilts,  together  with  more 
ambitious  gigs,  cabs,  cars,  and  britzsch- 
kas  of  every  variety,  form,  and  color, 
occupied  the  field  near  the  main  road, 
to  the  feuoes  of  which  were  fastened  the 
horses,  many  of  which,  having  huge  pil- 
lions attached  to  the  saddles,  appeared 
to  have  carried  several  persons  on  their 
backs. 


1      * 


«*^AJ 


A  r. 


i  #*    .1^ 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  i  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


m 


,    M.|j 


"A  large  temporary  table,  you  ob- 
■erre,"  continued  Barclay,  "is  spread 
at  one  end  of  the  Green,  and  several  of 
nearly  equal  site  occupy  the  other ;  a 
division  rendered  necessary  by  the  scru- 
ples of  the  advocates  of  total  abstinence 
from  all  vinous  or  fermented  liquors, 
who,  not  contented  with  exercising  the 
right  of  doing  as  they  please  themselves, 
are  determined  to  force  others  tc  Nlow 
their  example,  and  will  not  permit  the 
use  of  wine  in  their  presence.  How 
often  does  it  happen  in  this  world  that 
the  most  strenuous  advocates  for  liberty 
in  theory  are  the  most  exclusive  and 
tyrannical  in  practice  \" 

Here  a  man  wearing  a  badge  to  dis- 
tinguish him  as  a  manager  proclaimed, 
in  a  loud  voice,  "  AU  ye  invited  guests, 
fall  into  the  precession,  and  come  to  the 
platform !"  This  was  a  sort  of  circular 
scaffold    'iceoted  in  the  centre  of  the 

flade,  formed  around  and  supported 
y  the  trunk  of  a  large  elm.  Three  or 
four  speakers  soon  mp.de  their  appear- 
ance, and,  ascending  this  elevated  stage, 
addressed  the  coy  ny  much  in  the  same 
style,  and  upon  n  .irly  the  same  topics. 
The  ship  whose  Uunoh  they  had  come 
to  celebrate  was  eulogized  as  one  of  the 
largest,  fastest,  best  built,  and  beauti- 
fully modelled  vessels  ever  seen  in  this 
or  any  other  country.  The  builder  was 
said  to  have  done  honor  to  the  province 
in  general,  and  his  native  town  in  par- 
ticular, and  was  adduced  as  one  of  many 
instances  to  prove  that  Nova  Scotiuns 
only  wanted  opportunities  to  be  afforded 
them  to  excel  all  mankind,  the  humblest 
of  them  being  fitted  for  the  highest  offi- 
ces of  state  at  home,  or  abroad ;  but 
that,  unhappily,  during  the  long  Tory 
rule  in  England,  the  aristocracy  en- 
grossed every  situation  of  honor  or  emol- 
ument m  every  part  of  the  empire.  The 
company  were  assured  that  the  Legisla- 
tive Council  of  this  province  contain  as 
many  learned,  and  the  House  of  Assem- 
bly as  many  able  statesmen,  as  the 
Lords  or  Commons'  Houses  of  Great 
Britain,  and  that  their  integrity  and 
honor  were  equal,  if  not  superior. 

The  colonies,  it  was  saici,  were  filled 
with  mineral  wealth,  so  near  the  surface 


as  to  be  exhumed  with  very  little  outlay 
and  all  that  was  required  was  for  Eng' 
land  to  open  their  native  treasures  it 
her  own  expense,  and  give  all  the  returni 
to  the  people — an  act  of  justice  whicb, 
ere  long,  she  would  be  compelled  tt 
perform,  and  which  would  long  ainetl 
have  been  spontaneously  done,  had  it| 
not  been  for  certain  influential  personi 
in  this  country,  who  wanted  the  pr» 
ceeds  to  be  given  exilusively  to  then. 
It  was  confidently  predicted  that  a  rail- 
road would  be  immediately  constructed 
by  the  mother  country  between  Halifai 
and  lUinoo,  and  another  between  the 
former  place  and  Quebec ;  as  the  local 
legislature  had  most  liberally  done  it) 
part  by  giving  permission  to  any  con^ 
pany  to  be  formed  for  that  purpose,  t« 
pass  througii  the  land  of  the  crown,  ui 


take  as  much  of  it  as  was  necessary,    tlwajs  give  tt 


which  they  had  a  perfect  right  to  do, 
the  Queen  being  a  mere  tiistee  for  tiit 
public,  and,  of  course,  having  no  interest 
whatever  of  iier  own.  And  much  to 
the  same  purpose. 

Mothers  were  then  implored  to  loot 
upon  their  children  with  pride  as  hm- 
ing  the  honor  to  be  Blue  Noses ;  and 
were  assured  that  Latin  and  Greek, 
which  had  hitherto  been  upheld  bj 
Tories,  to  create  a  distinction  betweei 
the  rich  and  the  poor,  were  exploded, 
or,  as  it  was  quaintly  expressed,  "re^ 
formed  out ;"  and  that  now,  all  speaking 
one  language,  (and  it  was  well  knom 
that  they  pronounced  English  better 
than  the  British,  for  who  could  under 
stand  a  Yorkshire  or  Cornish  man, 
the  Yankees,  who  were  too  lazy  to  m 
their  mouths  and  spoke  through  theii 
noses  ?) — now  that  great  object  had  been 
obtained,  there  was  an  open  field  and 
fair  play  for  all,  and  their  children  had 
a  high  destiny  before  them,  and  honot 
and  wealth  were  their  portion. 

Here  the  herald  again  proclaimed, 
'*  The  bankit  is  now  ready,  and  all  j( 
invited  guests  will  please  to  fall  to  it 
your  places." 

Few  people  are  unconsciously  flat 
tered,  however  delicately  the  inoensi 
may  be  offered ;  and  this  agreeable  and 
prophetic  language  I  have  related,  il' 


though  artfu 
broad  complit 
its  akilful  di 
stood  by  some 
(ttdience,  for 
Qonace  it  all 
iddressing  hi 
Zacky,  you  hj 
woe — that's 
you  may  live 
—your  lot  ai 
vill  be  hard 
tare  what  yoi 
tellers — when 
your  ribs  to  t 
slip  their  finj 
pick  it — they 
always  for  nu 
Now,  here's  a 
and  set  by  y 


!romen  alwayi 
they  eat  then 
vho  gets  th( 
done  my  par 
advice.  Jist 
mother  to  h( 
eat." 

Having  fo 
Sally  Horn,  v 
at  the  upper  < 
our  seats,  pla< 
a  servant  of 
before  us  the 
bad  brought  f 
joyed  a  capi 
John  Bafuse 
the  young  la 
mined  to  mak 
danger  of  loi 
levity  of  mat 
of  the  party, 
another  of  h 
her  off  to  th 
Miss  Horn  ( 
stirs '  were 
had  nothing 
down,  and  ai 
some  for  weal 
ing,  as  she 
could  hear  en 
but  prouounc< 
of  the  entertj 
rincerity  of  w 


MERRY-MAKINGS. 


8S 


i;  as  the  local! 


)rQish  man,  01 


though  artfully  veiling  any  thing  like 
broad  compliment,  was,  notwithstanding 
its  skilful  disguises,  thoroughly  under- 
stood by  some  of  the  male  part  of  the 
tadience,  for  I  heard  one  old  man  pro- 
Qoance  it  all  moonshine,  and  another, 
tddressing  his  little  boy,  say,  "  Well, 
Zacky,  you  have  a-mos^'  a  grand  inherit- 
uoe — that's  a  fact.  Don't  you  hope 
yoa  may  live  to  get  it  ?  Tell  you  what 
—your  lot  and  your  luck  is,  your  lot 
vill  be  hard  work,  and  your  luck  to 
tare  what  you  m%ke.  I  hate  all  fortin- 
tellers — when  they  put  their  hands  on 
your  ribs  to  tickle  you,  they  are  sure  to 
slip  their  fingers  into  your  pocket  and 
pick  it — they  are  all  cheats.  Look  out 
ilways  for  number  one,  Zacky,  my  boy. 
Now,  here's  a  hint  for  you — do  you  go 
tod  set  by  your  mother,  for  the  men 
ilways  give  the  women  the  best,  and  the 
sromen  always  help  the  children  before 
they  eat  themselves :  so  you  may  guess 
irho  gets  the  tid-bits,  Zacky.  I  have 
done  my  part  now,  by  helprng  you  to 
idvice.  Jist  you  go  and  ask  your 
mother  to  help  you  to  something  to 
eat." 

Having  found  my  fair  friend.  Miss 
Sally  Horn,  we  proceeded  to  the  table 
at  the  upper  end  of  the  Green,  and  took 
our  seats,  placing  h«r  between  us,  when 
a  servant  of  Judge  Saudford's  spread 
before  us  the  contents  of  a  basket  he 
had  brought  from  Eimsdale,  and  wo  en- 
joyed a  capital  lunoLeon.  Poot:  Mr. 
John  Bafuse,  not  at  all  uppioviug  of 
the  young  lady's  behavior,  and  deter- 
mined to  make  her  feel  sensible  of  the 
danger  of  losing  an  admirer  by  such 
levity  of  manner,  refused  to  make  one 
of  the  party,  and,  ofifering  his  arm  to 
another  of  his  fair  acquaintances,  led 
her  off  to  the  other  end  of  the  field. 
Miss  Horn  observed  that  "pickiniok 
stirs'  were  stupid  things,  for  a  lady 
had  nothing  to  do  but  walk  up  and 
down,  and  Htare,  which  warn't  whole- 
some for  weak  eyes ;  and  as  for  preach- 
ing, as  she  called  the  speeches,  sho 
could  hear  enough  of  that  of  a  Sunday, 
bat  pronounced  the  repast  the  best  part 
of  the  entertainment,  and  evinced  the 
rinccrity  of  what  she .  professed  by  the 


justice  she  did  to  every  thing  plaeed 
before  her. 

'•  Well,  I  declare,"  she  exclaimed,  "  if 
I  haven't  dined  well,  it's  a  pity,  for  I 
have  been  helped  to  every  thing  twice, 
and  five  times  to  blueberry  pudding." 

"  Squire,"  said  a  man  seated  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  tab'o,  and  address- 
ing himself  to  Barclay,  ^-  Squire,  may  I 
trouble  you  for  a  piece  of  that  'are  apple- 

ftie  to  your  left  there  ?"  pointing  to  a 
arge  tart,  the  top  of  which  had  been 
accidentally  crushed. 

"With  great  pleasure,"  he  replied; 
and  applying  a  knife  and  fork  to  it, 
remarked,  "  I  believe  you  are  under  a 
mistake,  sir — this  is,  I  rather  think,  a 
pigeon-pie,  and  this  one  must  have  been 
the  father  of  the  flock,  for  my  knife 
makes  no  impression  on  him.  I  will 
give  you  the  whole  bird,  and  you  must 
dissect  it  for  yourself — here  it  is ;'  and 
he  raised  on  his  fork,  amid  roars  of 
laughter,  during  which  the  table  was 
nearly  overturned,  a  child's  shoe,  that 
had  been  accidentally  thrust  into  it,  and 
lost  in  the  deep  and  capacious  dish. 

"Well,  I  declare,"  said  Miss  Sally, 
"if  that  ain't  little  Lizzy  Fink's  shoe! 
She  has  been  hopping  about  all  day 
with  only  one  on.  like  a  land  gosling. 
If  she  hain't  put  her  foot  in  it,  it's  a 
pity  ! — don't  it  beat  all  natur,  that  ?  I 
wonder  what  business  children  have  to 
picbinick  stirs ;  they  are  for  everlast 
ingly  apokiug  their  noses, or  fingers,  o? 
feet,  into  something  or  another  thoy 
hadn't  ought  to." 

"  Well,"  continued  the  old  yeoman, 
with  philosophical  indifference,  "  that 
pumkin-pio  to  your  right  will  do  as  well, 
for,  arter  all,  I  guess  pumkin  is  about 
the  king  of  pies ;  but.  Squire,  how  is 
the  Judge's  potatoes?  have  they  es- 
caped the  rot  ?  mine  have  got  something 
worse." 

"What's  that?" 

"  They  are  actually  destroyed  by  cu- 
riosity. Every  critter  that  passes  my 
field  says,  I  wonder  if  neighbor  Millet's 
potatoes  ha\<j  got  the  disease?  and  he 
pulls  and  pulls  ever  so  many  hills  to 
see,  and  then  says.  Well,  that's  strange, 
too ;   he  is  the  luckiest  man  'n  these 


/♦■• 


.)    - 


lt-13 


THE  OLD  JUDOB;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


It» 


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part49,  he  knin't  lost  ope ;  and  the  next 
one  that  comes  by  just  does  the  same 
thing,  and  bo  on  iill  I  have  lost  just  half 
BIT  crop.  I  vow  I  will  shoot  the  first 
fellow  I  catch  there,  and  hang  him  up 
to  scare  away  the  curious.  Thank  for- 
tin,  it  hain't  afieoted  the  Indian  corn  I" 
(maize.) 

This  exclamation  was  occasioned  by 
the  introduction  of  a  number  of  dishes 
of  this  delicious  vegetable.  In  a  moment 
every  one  took  an  ear,  and,  raising  it  to 
his  mouth  with  a  hand  at  each  end  of 
it,  began  to  cat.  The  color  of  the  corn, 
and  the  atanncr  of  holding,  gave  the 
whole  couipauy  the  appearance  of  a 
band  laying  on  the  flute.  It  was  the 
most  IiA  acrous  sight  I  ever  beheld.  It 
was  n  'c)  *'  of  practice  in  dumb  show. 

After  Miss  Sally  had  finished  two 
oar'  of  i  ,  she  drew  breath,  and  rested 
&  juoairnt  "  Why  don't  you  eat  ?"  she 
said;  "  j-.'U  had  better  begin  soon,  or  it 
will  ail  b*"  gone ;"  and  then,  looking  at 
the  long  white  cob  from  which  she  had 
so  expeditiously  removed  the  grain  with 
her  teeth,  and  holding  it  admiringly  by 
the  end  before  she  deposited  it  on  the 
plate,  she  continued,  "  Them  cobs  are 
graud  for  smoking  hams  or  herrings — 
nothin'  in  nature  gives  the  same  flavor ; 
and  as  for  corking  bottles,  they  are  bet- 
ter than  boughten  ones.  Will  you  hand 
me  the  dish  V 

*'  With  great  pleasure  ;  but  had  you 
not  better  take  a  little  wine  first  1" 

"  Well,  I  don't  care  if  I  do,"  she  re- 
plied ;  and,  holding  a  tumbler  iuEtead 
of  a  glass,  observed, '"  I  like  wine  b-  tter 
than  cider  for  consart ;  it  has  more  body, 
and  is  a  mc;  3  oheerfuUer  drink,  unless 
the  cider  be  first  frozen  down,  and  ti  ■-a 
bottled  tight  with  corn  cobs.  Here's  to 
you,  sir,  and  wishing  you  luck.  Wi «  i 
you  bottle  cider,  it  must  be  always  up- 
ended on  its  neck,  for  bottoms  are 
thicker  than  heads,  and  ain't  so  apt  to 
go  o£f  onexpected  ;  and  cider  is  a  wicked 
thing  to  burst.  Have  you  been  to  Yar- 
mouth lately  ?"  she  asked,  abruptly. 

'*  Yes,  last  week." 

"  0,  Solomon,"  she  said,  "  you  don't 
saj:'  so !  How  glad  I  am  I  fell  in  with 
you  ^    Did  you  see  any  thing  of  old  Mr. 


Sam  Horn's  folks  down  to  the  mill| 
ponds  7 

As  a  matter  of  course,  I  neither  knew  I 
nor  had  heard  of  old  Mr.  Sam  Horn  oil 
his  family,  but,  wishing  to  hear  her  out,! 
I  replied  evasively — "  Not  recently." 

'•Well,  when  you  return,"  she  cou-l 
tinned,  "I  wish  you  would  tell  them  1 1 
feelkind  of  homesick  and  lonesome,  all 
the  cross  roads — will  you?  I  think 
shall  make  tracks  homeward  soon  " 

"  Why,  your  folks  think  you  are  1 1 
going  to  be  married,"  I  eaid. 

"  0,"  she  replied,  with  a  piteous  face,  I 
"  there  is  no  such  good  news,  I  can  tell  I 
you.  A  lady  has  no  chance  of  seeiigl 
folks  there,  unless,  ma}  be,  such  a  chspl 
as  John  Rafuse,  and  the  likes  of  himl 
is  no  great  catch  for  any  likely  gall  that'; 
got  a  home  of  her  own.  It's  kinder  dull  I 
there,  and  there  ain't  no  vessels,  hotJ 
raisings,  nor  revivals,  nor  oarap  meet- 
ings. D«  '•  nothing.    I'd  rather  go  back." 

"Weil,  that's  what  old  Mr.  Sam  Horn! 
said  :   he  remarked  that  he  knew  you 
would  sooner  be  among  the  bull-frogs  in  I 
the  mill-pond^  at  Yarmouth,  than  among 
the  owls  of  the  cross  roads." 

"  Did  he,  though?  well,  there's  al 
great  deal  of  fun  about  the  old  gentle-  [ 
man,  too — ain't  there  ?  But,  as  I  am  I 
a  living  sinner,  if  here  ain't  a  fiddle— 
ain't  it  grand  ?"  and,  extricating  herself 
from  the  table,  she  was  on  her  feet  in  a  | 
moment. 

Shortly  afterwards,  the  whole  com- 
pany  rose,   and   a   benevolent   matron  I 
present  proposed  that  what  was  left  of 
tLe  viands  should  be  given  to  the  ne- 1 
groes  who  were  in  attendance. 

"  I  guess,"  said  Miss  Sally,  "  you  I 
n  !^at  as  well  butter  the  table-cloth, 
then  ;  for,  excpnting  the  shoe-pie,  which 
ain't  fit  for  uo  Christian  to  eat,  unless 
it's  a  darkey,  I  don't  see  there  is  any 
thing  else  left." 

"  It  would  be  just  as  well,"  retorted 
the  other,  with  an  offended  toss  of  hei 
head,  and  not  at  all  relishing  the  gen- 
eral laugh  raised  at  her  expense, ''it 
would  be  just  as  well  perhap»  if  some 
young  folks  knew  what  was  due  to  their 
elders  and  betters,  and  didn't  talk  quitt 
so  fast  and  so  pert.'^ 


4< 


jl     (rili. 


I     " 


%^^^'' 


MERRY-MAKINGS. 


87 


The  black  musioian,  td  whose  Buperior 
biowledge  and  authority  in  such  mat- 
ters all  deferred,  now  summoned  the 
Tonng  people  to  take  their  places  on  the 
green. 

« Will  you  dance  V*  said  my  fair 
friend, 

I  replied,  "  1  am  sorry  I  am  obliged 
to  bid  you  goo('.  bye,  and  leave  you,  for 
I  have  an  emjagen^nt  elsewhere,  this 
being  altogether  an  unexpected  pleas- 
ore  to  me.  but  pray  dance  with  your 
friend  Mr.  Bafu&ts,  who  J  see  has  re- 
turned :  he  seems  hu/t  at  your  neglect." 

"  Who  cares  ?"  she  said  ;  «'  if  he 
don't  like  it,  he  may  lump  :  t.  Tell  you 
what — if  John  Rafuse  was  down  to  the 
mill-ponds  to  Yarmouth  among  the 
poiK^ers,  they  would  call  him  Refuse, 
and  that's  the  poorest  sort  of  bdards 
they  have  in  all  their  lumber,  WeH, 
I  am  sorry  you  are  a-going,  too.  There 
ii  grand  shooting  to  the  cross  roads,  I 
have  hearn  Hannah's  husband  say,  only 
people  are  too  lazy  to  shoot.  If  you 
will  come  there,  I  will  get  him  to  give 
you  a  rolling  frolic,  for  he  has  got  one 
on  hand,  and  promised  me  a  treat  be- 
fore I  go  home.  I'll  hold  back  for  you. 
0,  it's  fun  alive,  you  may  depend! — but 
plckinick  stirs  are  as  heavy  as  dough — 
more  trouble  to  come  and  to  go  and  to 
carry  things  than  they  are  worth,  and 
dancing  on  the  ground  is  hard  work, 
and,  besides,  it  don't  seem  kinder  natu- 
ral in  the  day-time,  and  so  many  folks 
looking  on,  and  making  their  remarks, 
who  have  nothing  to  do  with  it  kinde", 
puts  a  wet  blanket  on  it.  O,  a  rollin.<r 
frolic  is  just  what  you  would  like,  for 
it's  sociable  and  onformal ;  or,  if  you 
can't  come,  next  time  you  go  to  Yar- 
mouth, just  give  us  a  call  to  old  Mr, 
Sam  Horn's  to  the  mill-ponds.  It's  a 
most  a  beautiful  place.  It's  generrUy  al- 
lowed to  take  the  shine  oflF  this  proviuce, 
I  tell  you.  You  won't  forget  to  give 
us  a  call,  will  you  ?     The  old  gentleman 


will 
ru- 


be very  proui^  to  see  you,  and 


The  order  of  the  n-'isician  was  imper- 
ative ;  and  Mr.  Rai'use  several  times 
reminded  the  talkative  ludy  that  she 
was  keeping  the  company  waiting. 


"  Don't  be  in  Bach  "  plaguy  pecky 
hurry,"  she  answered  sharply.  "If 
you  can't  wait,  get  another  partner. 
Don't  you  see,  I  am  bidding  good-bye 
to  the  stranger  ?  manners  before  meas- 
ures." 

"Pray  don't  detain  him,"  I  said. 
"  Mr.  Barclay  and  I  will  be  at  the  cross 
roads  next  week,  if  the  weather  is  favor- 
able, and  spend  a  day  or  two  there 
shooting."     . 

"  And  the  rolling  frolic?"  she  inquir- 
ed doubtfully, 

"  O,  certainly,  I  shall  be  delighted  to 
accept  your  kind  invitation.    Good-bye 
till  we  meet  again." 

"  Then,  I  may  depend  ?" 

"  Certainly,  I  shall  only  be  too 
happy." 

"  Come,  now,  I  like  that,"  she  said, 
"you  are  the  rael  grit,  every  inch  of 
you.  Seeing  you're  a  touch  above  com- 
mon, I  vas  afraid  you  would  be  too 
p.'oud,  maybe,  to  come  among  the  like 
of  us  poor  folks.  Thank  you,  sir. 
Good-bye  !  mind  next  week.  And  now, 
John,  how  sorry  I  am  I  kept  you  wait- 
ing so  long !  What's  become  of  Nabby 
Frisk  I  seed  you  with  just  now?  She 
looks  as  yaller  as  a  kite's  foot.  W^hat's 
that  tune,  Pompey,  you  are  a-playing  ? 
Is  it '  Off  she  goes  to  Mirimishee  V  " 

"  No,  miss,  it's  '  Come  tickle  my  nose 
with  a  barley  straw.' " 

"  0,  my !"  she  replied,  pressing  both 
her  hands  on  her  sides,  and  laughing 
most  immoderately — '  Tickle  my  nose 
with  a  barley  straw  I'  well,  if  that  name 
don't  bang  the  bush  I — it  caps  all." 

The  young  people  were  now  all  in 
motion  ;  but  such  a  dance !  It  was  a 
serious  business  affair.  Every  body 
maintained  a  profound  silence,  and  the 
only  voice  to  be  heard  was  that  of  the 
black  fiddler,  who  gave  out  the  figures 
in  a  loud  tone,  that  was  distinctly  audi- 
ble over  the  screaming  notes  of  the 
violin,  while  the  dancers  seemed  most 
anxious  to  execute  such  steps  as  they 
knew  with  the  greatest  exactness  and 
agility.  In  describing  this  scene,  I 
have  preferred  giving  the  greater  parts 
of  the  dialogue  with  Miss  Horn  to  re- 
cording the  general  oonv«^rsatio»  >f  th« 


,1 .. 


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i 


,1     * 


i;!!?; . 


88 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


tables,  beoaase.  m  this  tketoh  if  hith- 
fallj  drawn  from  nature,  it  will  convey 
to  the  reader  an  aoourate  idea  of  the 
olaes  to  which  she  belonged. 

Taking  Barclay's  arm,  I  now  strolled 
to  the  other  end  of  the  glade  previous 
to  returning  to  Elmsdale.  Tnis  por- 
tion of  the  company  bad  also  left  the 
tables,  and  were  scattered  in  detached 
groups;  some  paolcing  up  preparatory 
to  leaving  the  place,  and  otncrs  listen' 
ing  attentively  to  a  roan  who  was  de- 
nouncing those  who  bad  jprofimed  the 
place  with  wine  and  dancinff.  He  was 
a  tall,  thin,  oadaverous-lookiog  man, 
whose  long  black  hair,  falling  wildly 
over  his  shoulders,  gave  bis  face  a 
ghastly  appearance,  while  bis  wild  and 
wandering  eye  imparted  to  it  a  fearful 
expression.  He  appeared  to  be  labor- 
ing both  under  great  exoitemeot  and 
a  considerable  impediment  of  speoob 
which  affected  his  respiration,  so  as  to 
contract  and  expand  bis  cheeks  and 
sides,  and  make  the  indraught  and  exit 
of  his  breath  distressingly  audible. 
Nothing  could  be  more  painful  than  to 
witness  his  convulsive  utterance,  unless 
it  was  to  hoar  his  dreadful  language. 
He  consigned  all  those  who  were  not 
members  of  Temperance  Booieties  to 
everlasting  perdition,  without  the  slight- 
est compunction,  and  invoked  an  early 
fulfilment  of  bis  imprecations  upon  them. 
Occasionally,  he  would  terminate  a  pe- 
riod with  a  long  unmeaning  alliteration, 
calling  dancing  a  profiinatton  of  an  or- 
dination that  led  to  damnation,  or  point 
his  harangue  against  winedrirtkers,  by 
observing,  that  they  think  it  fine  to 
drink  wiue  like  swine ;  but  they'll  re- 
pine, they'll  repine. 

Turning  in  disgust  from  this  profane 
and  uncharitable  discourse,  wo  orossod 
the  lawn  in  the  direction  of  the  post 
road.  On  our  way  wo  met  two  young 
■romen  looking  about  them  in  groat 
irouble  and  perplexity.  As  soon  as 
tliey  perceived  us,  one  of  ttietu  np- 
proached,  and,  addressing  herself  to  me, 
taid,  "  Pray,  sir,  did  you  see  a  beast 
4own  there  ?"  pointing  to  the  part  of 
ibe  lawn  we  bad  just  left.  Although  I 
«hould  never  have  thought  of  the  word 


brute,  or  bccst,  as  applicable  to  th« 
wretched  man  I  had  been  li.stening  to, 
I  was  not  at  all  surprised  at  the  terri- 
fied girl  using  it,  knowing  that  the  pop- 
ulation of  rural  districts  derive  most  of 
their  epithets  from  the  objects  about 
them. 

"  I  have  indeed  seen  a  strange  animal 
there,"  I  said. 

'<  Was  be  a  black  beast,  sir  ?" 

"  Long  black  hair,"  I  replied,  "  and  a 
wild  anawickod  expression  of  eye." 

"  Did  you  take  notice  of  his  feet,  sir?* 
she  inquired  anxiously. 

I  now  perceived,  by  this  reference  to 
the  cloven  foot,  that  the  poor  girl  either 
thought  he  was  the  devil  in  proprii  per- 
Bond,  or  was  possessed  of  one.  "  i>on't 
be  alarmed,"  I  said  ;  "I  didn't  obsLrre 
bis  feet." 

"  Had  be  a  long  black  tail,  and  a 
cushion  strapped  on  behind  for  carrying 
a  gall  on  ?" 

Here  Barclay,  who  had  been  enjoying 
my  mistake,  came  to  the  rescue.  "  You 
have  lost  your  horse,  I  suj^ose." 

"  Yes,  sir,  our  beast  has  broke  his 
bridle,  and  made  tracks.  I  only  hope 
he  ain't  raced  off  home."  \^ 

"  Had  he  four  white  feet?" 

«  Yes,  sir" 

''  Ah,  then,  he's  quietly  grazing  below 
the  crowd.  Where  is  the  bridle  1 — Ah, 
here  it  is.  Make  yourself  easy  ;  I  will 
restore  him  to  you  in  a  moment." 

On  his  return,  the  two  girls  were 
adjusted  into  their  seats ;  one  riding 
in  front  on  a  man's  saddle,  the  other 
behind,  but  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
horse. 

"  I  agree  with  your  friend.  Miss  Sally 
Horn,"  said  Barclay  ;  "  picnics  are 
stupid  things,  under  any  circumstances, 
but  doubly  so,  when  attempted  by  coun 
try  people,  who  do  not  understand  them, 
are  destitute  of  the  resources  furnished 
by  education  for  conversation,  and 
amusement,  and  to  whom  unoccupied 
time  is  always  wearisome.  Merry-mak- 
ing in  America,  except  in  towns  or  new 
settlements,  is  a  sad  misnomer,  when 
applied  to  such  matters;  the  religion 
of  the  country,  which  is  puritanical,  ii 
uncongenial  to  it ;  dissent  is  cold  and 


,      nil 


MERRY-MAKINGS. 


eloomy,  and  represses  the  cheerfulness 
of  youth,  and  the  buoyancy  of  healthful 
gpirits.     The  people  are  not  fond  of 
music,  and  are  strangers  to  theatrical 
amusements ;  and,  being  dispersed  over 
a  great  surface  of  country,  instead  of 
dwelling  in  villages  or  hamlets,  as  in 
Europe,  have  little  opportunity  for  con- 
vivial intercourse ;  while  the  exigencies 
of  a  northern  climate,  and  the  hardships 
and  privations  of  forest  life,  leave  but 
little  time  for  relaxation.      They  are 
a  business   and  mattcr-offact  people, 
i' Raisings,'  which  mean  the  erection  of 
the  frames  of  -wooden  houses,  are  every 
where  performed  by  mechanics,  except 
iia  new    settlements.      '  Log    rolling,' 
I  which  is  the  process  of  heaping  together 
j  the  trunks  of  trees  that  have  been  felled 
preparatory  to  being  burned,  so  as  to 
'  clear  the  land  for  cultivation,  and  '  the 
j  Bee,'  which  is  the  gathering  of  people 
for  the  purpose  of  chopping  down  the 
forest,  or  for  harvesting,  or  some  ot  er 
friendly  act  for  a  neighborhood,  are  all, 
in   like    manner,  peculiar    to  remote 
places. 

"  When  any  of  these  occasions  occur, 
I  they  are  followed   by  festivities  of  a 
{ totally  different  character  from  those  in 
I  the  old  settlements.     In  proportion  as 
I  the  country  becomes  more  densely  peo- 
I  pled,  these  acts  of  mutual  assistance, 
rendered  necessary  in  the  first  instance 
bv  the  individual  weakness  and  mutual 
{wants  of  all,  become  more  and  more 
rare,  and  finally  cease  altogetL.er,  and 
with  them,  merry-makings  cease  also. 
[Festive  assemblies  occur  now  only  in 
I  towns,  or  the  midst  of  the  woods :    so 
I  true  in  all  things  is  the  old  maxim — 
'extremes  meet.'     In  that  portion  of 
I  the  country  where  these  good  old  '  Rais- 
ings,' '  Bees,'  '  Log  rollings,'  and  other 
I  cordial  and  friendly  meetings  have  died 
out,  nothing  has  arisen  in  their  place  to 
induce  or  require  a  celebration.     The 
!  formiil  manners  of  the   town  sit  awk- 
wardly on  the  farmer ;  its  customs  and 
fashions  neither  suit  his  means  nor  his 
condition.      Unwilling   to   be   thought 
roatio  and  vulgar,  ho  has  abandoned  the 


warm-hearted  junketing  of  old ;  and. 
unable  to  accommodate  himsslf  to  city 
usages,  which  he  sees  so  seldom  as  not 
thoroughly  to  understand,  he  has  little 
or  no  recreation  to  give  his  family ;  a 
cold  hospitality  that  acquires  ostenta- 
tion, in  proportion  as  it  loses  cordiality, 
gradually  supervenes.  The  character 
and  appearance  of  the  man  undergo  a 
s^d  change ;  the  jolly,  noisy  yeoman, 
becomes  a  melancholy-looking  man ;  his 
temper  is  gradually  soured  by  the  soli- 
tude and  isolation  in  which  he  lives, 
and,  resorting  to  politics  and  religion 
for  excitement,  he  rushes  to  the  wildest 
extremes  in  both,  howling  for  nights 
together  in  the  protracted  meetings  of 
revivals,  or  raving  with  equal  zeal  and 
ignorance  about  theories  of  govern- 
ment. 

"  The  injurious  effects  upon  the 
health,  occasioned  by  the  absence  of  all 
amusemeni;,  and  the  substitution  of 
fanaticism,  or  politics  in  its  place,  is  not 
confined  to  the  male  part  of  the  popula- 
tion. It  falls  still  heavier  on  the  females. 
The  former  have  their  field  labors  to 
detain  them  all  day  in  the  fresh  air; 
the  latter  are  confined  to  the  house  and 
its  close  and  unwholesome  atmosphere, 
and  suffer  in  proportion.  No  merry 
laugh  rings  on  the  ear  of  the  anxious 
mother,  no  song  gladdens  her  heart,  no 
cheerful  dance  of  joyous  youth  reflects 
the  image  of  the  past,  or  gives  a  presage 
of  a  happy  future.  Sadness,  suffering, 
or  discontent,  is  legible  on  the  face. 
Silence  or  fretfulness  pervades  the  house. 
The  home  is  not  happy. 

"  I  am  glad  you  have  arranged  to  go 
to  the  cross  roads  next  week.  You  will 
at  once  see  the  effect  of  merry-makings 
and  cheerfulness,  not  only  on  the  health 
and  looks,  but  upon  the  bearing  and 
character  of  the  population.  The  Judge 
says,  '  Exercise  is  health,'  but  he  is  mis- 
taken ;  cheerfulness  is  an  essential  in- 
gredient, and  where  that  does  not 
spring  from  a  well-regulated  mind,  as  it 
does  among  educated  people,  amuse- 
ment, in  some  shape  or  other,  ia  abso- 
lutely indispensable." 


tell 


.'•'•    r   ;.,    '      '      .' 


I,..„ 


►  ■ 
4 


'/HE    SCHOOLMASTERi 


OB,  THE  HEGEE   THALEB. 


M|« 


Iri4) 


On  our  return  to  Elmsdalo,  the  ab- 
burd  scene  of  the  morning  was  adverted 
to,  and  the  extraordinary  manner  in 
>rhioh  the  people  were  flattered  and 
lauded  by  tlui  oratorst  of  Illlnoo. 

"  That,"  said  the  Judge,  '•  is  the  in- 
evita  ■  'e  result  of  the  almost  universal 
suffra^  that  exists  in  this  province. 
People  accommodate  themselves  to  their 
au<5'.ence;  and,  where  the  lower  orders 
form  the  majority  of  electors,  their  van- 
ity is  appealed  to,  and  not  their  judg- 
ment— their  passions,  anc  not  their  rea- 
son; and  the  mass,  instead  of  being  ele- 
vated in  the  scale  of  intelligcncu  by  the 
exerciso  of  poll* ;  a-  pow^r,  ia  lov-ced  by 
the  delusion  and  crat't,  of  whic)i  it  is 
made  the  willing  victim.  Nova  Soo- 
tians  have  been  so  often  assured  that 
they  are  the  ablest,  the  wisest,  and  best 
of  men,  though  their  rulers  are  both  ig- 
norant and  corrupt,  and  that  they  have 
a  rich  %nd  fertile  country,  blessed  with 
a  climate  more  salubrious  and  agreeable 
than  that  of  any  other  part  of  the  world, 
they  begin  to  think  that  law  and  not  in- 
dustry, government  and  not  enterprise, 
is  all  that  is  wanting  for  the  full  enjoy- 
ment of  these  numerous  advantages. 
If  any  man  were  to  say  to  them  that 
their  winters  are  long  and  severe,  their 
springs  late,  cold,  and  variable,  while 
much  of  their  soil  is  wet,  stony,  or  un- 
productive, and  that  toil  and  privation 
are  the  necessary  incidents  of  such  a 
condition ;  or  venture  to  assert  that,  al- 
though the  province  abounds  with  min- 
eral wealth,  skill,  capital  and  popula- 
tion are  necessary  to  its  proper  develop- 
ment '  or,  that,  although  the  innumer- 


able streams  that  intersect  the  countrj 
in  every  direction  are  admirably  adapt 
ed  for  manufactories,  the  price  of  lauoi 
is  yet  too  high  to  render  such  specula' 
tions  safe  or  profitable  ;  and,  aoove  all 
to  tell  them  that  they  are  idle,  conceit- 
ed, and  ignorant ;  and,  so  long  as  the; 
maintain  this  character,  they  merit  all 
their  poverty  and  all  their  wretched- 
ness ;  these  demagogues,  to  whom  yoo 
listened  yesterday,  would  call  him  a  ra- 
bid tory,  a  proud  aristocrat,  an  enemy 
to  the  peojue,  a  vile  slanderer,  and  a 
traitor  to  his  country. 

"It  is  a  melancholy  condition  of 
things ;  and,  so  long  as  education  is  »< 
grievously  neglected  as  it  is  at  present 
there  appears  to  be  no  hope  of  a  change 
for  the  better.  The  British  Govern 
ment,  with  that  foresight  and  liberality 
which  has  always  distinguished  it  in  its 
treatment  of  the  colonies,  founded 
many  years  ago,  a  college  at  Windsor 
an  interior  town,  situated  about  forty- 
five  miles  from  Halifax,  which  has  been 
of  incalculable  advantage,  not  merely  to 
Nova  Scotia,  but  to  British  North 
America.  The  system  of  common 
school  instruction,  on  the  contrary, 
which  depends  upon  ourselves,  is  found- 
ed chiefly  on  the  voluntary  principle, 
which  has  proved  as  defective  in  eda- 
cation  as  it  always  has  in  religion. 
When  a  man  fails  in  his  trade,  or  is  too 
lazy  to  work,  he  resorts  to  teaching  as  a 
livelihood,  and  the  school-house,  like  the 
asylum  for  the  poor,  receives  all  those 
who  are,  from  misfortune  or  incapacity, 
unable  to  provide  for  themselves.  The 
wretched  teacher  has  no  home  ;  he  makes 


THE  SCHOOLMASTER. 


91 


ot  tlie  countr} 
mirably  adapt 
price  of  laboi 
suob  speoola' 
ind,  uDore  all 
)  idle,  conceit- 
}  long  as  they 
they  merit  all 
heir  wretched- 
,  to  whom  yoQ 
.  call  him  a  ra. 
rat,  an  enemy 
nderer,  andt 

condition  of 
education  is  »< 
t  is  at  present 
pe  of  a  change 
itish  Govern 
and  liberalitj 
aished  it  in  ita 
ties,  founded 
e  at  Windsor 
about  forty- 
rhich  has  been 

not  merely  to 
iritlsh  North 
of  common 
the    contrary, 

Ives,  is  found- 
ary  principle, 
jctive  in  edu- 
in  religion, 
rade,  op  is  too 
)  teaching  as  a 
house,  liice  the 
ives  all  those 

or  incapacity, 
nselves.  The 
>me ;  he  makei) 


the  tour  of  the  eettlement,  and  resides  a 
stipulated  numb«r  of  days  in  every 
house — too  short  a  tiiuo  for  his  own 
comfort,  and  too  long  for  that  of  the 
family,  who  can  but  ill  afford  either  the 
tax  cr  the  accommodation.  He  is  among 
tbem  but  not  of  them.  His  morning  is 
ast  in  punishing  the  idleness  of  others, 
is  evening  in  being  punished  for  bis 
own  ;  for  all  are  too  busy  to  associate 
with  him.  His  engagement  is  generally 
for  a  short  period.  He  looks  forward 
to  its  termination  with  mingled  feelings 
of  hope  and  fear — in  alternate  anticipa- 
tions of  a  change  for  the  better,  or  des- 
titution from  want  of  employment.  His 
heart  is  not  in  his  business,  and  his 
work  prospers  indifferently.  He  is  then 
succeeded  by  another,  who  changes  the 
entire  system,  and  spends  his  whole 
time  in  what  he  calls  rectifying  the  er- 
rors of  his  predecessor.  The  school  is 
then  unhappily  too  often  closed  for  want 
of  energy  ur  union  among  the  people  ; 
the  house  is  deserted  and  neglected,  the 
glass  is  broken  by  the  children,  who  re- 
gard it  as  a  prison.  The  door,  after 
a  long  but  unsuccessful  struggle  with 
the  wind,  falls,  at  last,  in  the  conflict ; 
the  swine  then  enter,  for  protection 
from  the  violence  or  heat  of  the  weather, 
and  retain  possession  until  expelled  by 
the  falling  roof,  or  the  rod  of  a  new 
master.  It  is  evident,  therefore,  that 
'  the  greatest,  wisest,  and  best  of  man- 
kind' either  do  not  need  instruction, 
having  the  wonderful  good  fortune  to 
possess  knowledge  intuitively,  or  else 
the  rest  bf  the  human  family,  whom 
they  are  so  often  told  they  far  excel, 
must  indeed  be  in  a  state  of  hopeless 
and  wretched  ignorance." 

The  following  day,  as  we  were  stroll- 
ing through  Bridge  Port,  a  small, 
straggling  village,  situated  about  a  mile 
and  a  half  above  Elmsdale,  the  subject 
was  again  accidentally  renewed  by  our 
hearing  the  piercing  cries  of  a  poor  little 
urchin,  who  was  undergoing  the  punish- 
ment of  the  rod  in  the  schoolhouse.  As 
Bridge  Port  aspires  to  the  honor  of  be- 
inj;  called  a  town,  and  its  ambitious  in- 
habitants entertain  sanguine  hopes  that 
it  will  one  day  rival  Illinoo  in  impor- 


tiie  thorny 


Enoch 
<7,ing  in 
^(iii  hod 
would  have 


li 


tance,  this  building  exhil  its  much  pre* 
tension,  having  a  hcUry  surmounted  by 
a  gilt  weather-vane,  whijh,  though  it 
does  not  indicate  the  direction  of  the 
wind,  being  stationary,  either  from  acci- 
dent or  for  the  purpose  of  displaying 
the  broad,  glittering  side  of  a  golden 
quill  at  its  top,  fulfils  all  that  it  was  de- 
signed for,  by  ornamenting  the  village 
So  handsome  a  structure,  deserving  a 
classical  name,  is  dignified  by  the  appel- 
lation of  Academy.  It  was  '  "om  this  seat 
of  learning  that  the  \  ouii;  nt's  voice 

was  heard  complaining  ' 
paths  of  literature. 

"Ah,  my  good  frie  ..I 
Pike,"  said  the  Judge, 
reference  to  the  teacher, 
^ver  been  in  the  army,  you 
become  more  indulgent  by  learning  that 
the  tables  are  sometimes  turned  and  the 
master  punished  himself  I  recollect," 
he  said,  addressing  himself  to  roe, 
"  when  the  Duke  of  Kent  was  command- 
er-in-chief  at  Halifax,  going  to  the  bar- 
racks to  see  an  officer  of  the  Fusileers, 
and,  as  I  passed  the  regimental  school- 
room on  my  way  up  stairs  to  'the  quar- 
ters of  my  friend,  I  found  all  the  chil- 
dren vociferating  at  the  top  of  their 
voices,  almost  wild  with  excitement  and 
delight.  '  Ah  I  my  little  fellows,"  I  said, 
'so  you  have  a  holiday  to-day,  have 
you  ?' — '  O  yes,  sir,'  several  of  them  an- 
swered  at  once,  '  O  yes,  sir,  master  has 
been  flogged  to-day ;  he  has  just  receiv- 
ed three  hundred  lashes.' 

"  He  who  needs  forgiveness  himself 
ought  to  be  merciful  to  others.  I  have 
several  times  spoken  to  Pike  about  his 
severity,  and  recommended  to  him  more 
forbearance,  but  he  always  has  one  an- 
swer. Thinking  to  pacify  me  by  avow- 
ing himself  a  conservative,  he  invariably 
commences :  *  Ah,  Judge,  when  I  first 
took  charge  of  this  Academy,  I  was  a 
Badical,  a  thorough-going  Radical ;  but 
I  soon  found  a  school  required  a  good 
strict  Tory  government.  Freedom  and 
equality  sound  prettily  in  theory,  but 
they  don't  work  well  in  practice  You. 
who  have  presided  in  courts  of  justice, 
and  I,  who  have  presided  in  seats  of 
learning,  know  that  nothing  but  a  sbrrc 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


^A 


4^ 


1.0 


I.I 


11.25 


Ui|21    |25 
Ui  Uii   12.2 

^   1^    12.0 

llJil 

U    IIIIII.6 


V 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WIST  MAIN  STRUT 

WiBSTH.N.Y.  MSSO 

(716)  •72-4503 


^  J^ 

/^^ 
*^^><^ 


92 


THB  OLD  JUDGE  i  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


^:l»f 


!:^. 


ftir  and  a  strong  arm  will  preserve  or- 
der.'— 'O  yes,'  I  reply,  'that  is  all 
very  well — but  strictness '  is  one  thing, 
and  severity  another.  You  must  be 
moderate.  Patience  is  a  cardinal  virtue 
in  an  instructor.' — ^  0,  sir,'  he  says,  '  I 
am  the  most  patient  man  in  the  world, 
bat  there  is  a  point — there  is  a  line,  you 
know,  sir,  beyond  which,  ahem ! — there 
is  a  limit — a  bound — a  terminus  you 
may  call  it — a  phse  where  you  must 
atop.  They  talk  about  the  patience  of 
Job,  Judge.  I  have  read  every  thing 
about  that  illustrious  man  with  great 
care,  sir ;  and,  in  my  humble  opinion, 
his  patience  was  never  fairly  tried.  Job 
never  was  a  schoolmaster.  Judge — O 
no  J  0  no  I  he  can't  -be  said  to  have  been 
fiurly  tried.  Job  never  kept  a  school. 
Corporeal  punishment,  Judge,  either  in 
schools  or  the  army,  cannot  be  dispensed 
with.  We  say,  and  say  truly,  the  rod 
of  ihe  empire  !  I  have  often  asked  my- 
self  with  Virgil,  Quid  domini  facient — 
W  hat  shall  masters  do  without  the  birch  ? 
ard  answer  with  Ovid,  Principiis  obsta 
-">Nip  an  offence  in  the  bud  ;  or  with 
Horace,  iiuicquid  prctiipies  esto  breve — 
Jiet  it  be  a  word  and  a  blow.  All  an- 
^vjuity  is  in  its  favor,  and  Solomon  re- 
'\ommends  a  liberal  use  of  it.  Spare  it, 
lays  he,  and  you  spoil  the  child.  The 
^l^oantity  of  flogging  is  very  properly 
left  to  the  discretion  of  the  master ;  the 
true  rule,  perhaps,  is,  Nocturnd  versate 
vtanu  vertate  diurna — Turn  them  up 
«nd  whip  them  by  day  or  night  when 
needed,  not  urging  them  too  fast,  but 
teeping  a  steadjy^  rein.  Festina  lente — 
An  even  travelling  gait  is  the  proper 
«oarse.  In  this  manner,  he  runs  on, 
making  the  moat  absurd  application 
possible  of  his  quotations,  and  regularly 
talks  me  down,  so  that  I  am  glad  to 
drop  the  subject,  and  quit  the  house. 

"  They  have  had  a  strange  set  of  mas- 
ters here :  one  was  a  universal  genius, 
and  converted  his  school  into  a  sort  of 
workshop.  He  painted  signs  and  sign- 
boards, gilded  frames,  repaired  watches 
and  guns,  made  keys  in  place  of  missing 
ones,  veneered  bones  and  tables,  cut  and 
lettered  tombstones,  and  was  devoted 
to  caxving  and  turning.     He  prided 


himself  upon  being  able  to  execute  any 
difficult  little  job,  that  exceeded  the 
skill  of  any  body  else  in  the  country. 
He  prefwred  every  thing  to  teaching, 
and  his  scholars  preferred  him  to  every 
other  master ;  for  it  seemed  to  be  a 
fixed  principle  with  him  not  to  trouble 
them  if  they  would  observe  the  same 
forbearance  towards  him.  But  the  pa- 
rents, not  approving  of  this  amicable 
treaty,  refused  to  ratify  it,  and  he  was 
discharged,  to  the  great  grief  of  the 
young  men,  and  the  infinite  loss  of  all 
young  ladies  who  had  brooches,  lockets, 
or  bracelets  to  mend. 

"  Universal  Smith  was  universally 
regretted.  His  successor,  though  equally 
engaged  for  others,  was  a  totally  aifie^ 
ent  person.  Instead  of  mending  and 
patching  up  things  for  his  neighbors,  he 
made  more  breaches  than  Universal 
Smith  could  have  soldered  or  welded 
together  again  in  a  long  life.  He  set 
the  people  by  the  ears ;  and,  when  he 
failed  in  an  attempt  to  separate  friends, 
got  up  a  little  quarrel  with  them  on  his 
own  account.  He  piqued  himself  on  bii 
knowledge  of  law,  and  advised  tenants 
to  overbold,  and  landlords  to  distrain, 
and,  being  a  talebearer,  was  a  great  pro- 
moter of  actions  of  defamation,  in  which 
he  was  generally  a  witness,  and  attested 
to  different  words  from  those  laid  in 
the  declaration,  whereby  his  friends 
were  nonsuited,  and  his  foes  escaped. 
He  induced  several  persons  who  weie 
indifferently  honest  to  expose  their 
roguery  by  endeavoring  to  evade  the 
payment  of  their  just  debts,  by  availing 
themselves  of  the  benefit  of  the  statute 
of  limitations.  Even  his  boys  were  set 
against  each  other,  so  that  scarcely  any 
two  of  them  were  upon  speaking  terms. 

"  At  that  time  there  was  a  female 
school  held  in  one  end  of  the  apartment, 
which  was  divided  into  two  rooms  by  a 
temporary  wooden  screen.  This  afford 
ed  too  good  an  opportunity  for  hostilities 
to  be  neglected,  and  he,  accordingly, 
attempted  to  drive  away  the  teacher  and 
her  children  by  resorting  to  every  petty 
annoyance  and  insult  in  his  power ;  but, 
finding  their  endurance  superior  to  his 
patience,  he  commenced  a  regular  ayfr 


>  ezeonte  anj 
exceeded  the 

the  country. 

to  teaching, 

him  to  every 
tned  to  be  a 
aot  to  trouble 
rve  the  same 

But  the  pa* 
.his  amicable 
,  and  he  was 

grief  of  the 
ite  lass  of  all 
iches,  lockets, 

I  universally 
dough  equally 
totally  diffep 
mending  and 
neighbors,  he 
an  Universal 
ed  or  welded 
life.  He  set 
Eind,  when  he 
laratc  friends, 
i  them  on  his 
limself  on  hit 
vised  tenants 

to  distrain, 
s  a  great  pro- 
tion,  in  which 
,  and  attested 
those  laid  in 

his  friends 
foes  escaped. 
ns  who  weie 
expose  their 
to  evade  the 
3,  by  availing 
f  the  statute 
boys  were  set 

scarcely  any 
aking  terms, 
ras  a  female 
le  apartment, 

0  rooms  by  a 
This  afford 

for  hostilitieH 

accordingly, 

e  teacher  and 

3  every  petty 

1  power ;  but, 
perior  to  his 

regular  8y» 


THE  SCHOOLMASTER. 


(em  of  enoroaohment.  He  was  always 
tt  his  post  an  hoar  before  the  school 
eommencedt  daring  which  timo  the  par- 
tition was  advanced  a  few  inches,  until 
he  succeceded  in  thrusting  them  out 
and  engrossing  the  whole  building. 

"  He  was  a  constant  contributor  to  a 
Boorrilous  newspaper,  published  at  lUi- 
noo,  in  which  he  misrepresented  the 
motives  and  conduct  of  every  gentleman 
in  the  neighborhood,  and,  as  is  always 
the  case  with  people  of  this  description, 
seemed  to  take  peculiar  pleasure  in 
abusing  those  to  whom  he  was  most  in- 
debted for  personal  or  pecuniary  kind- 
ness. At  last,  he  managed  to  quarrel 
with  the  boys,  their  parents,  and,  nnally, 
Uie  trustees  of  the  school ;  which  ended, 
first,  in  his  dismissal,  and  then  in  a  law- 
suit, that  terminated  in  his  ruin  and 
sadden  disappearance  from  the  place. 

"  After  this,  the  school  was  closed  for 
some  time,  for  want  of  a  master,  when 
a  stranger  presented  himself  as  a  candi- 
date, and  was  accepted.  Mr.  Welcome 
Shanks  (for  such  was  his  name)  was  one 
rf  the  most  extraordinary-looking  men 
I  ever  beheld.  He  was  very  tall,  and, 
though  his  frame  was  large  and  musou- 
hur,  exceedingly  thin.  His  back,  either 
from  the  constant  habit  of  stooping,  or 
from  a  rheumatic  affection  so  common  in 
this  country,  was  almost  circular,  and 
had  the  effect  of  throwing  his  long  bony 
arms  forward,  which  looked  as  if  they 
were  still  growing,  and  iu  time  would 
reach  the  ground,  and  enable  him  to 
travel  upon  all-fours.  His  face  was 
hard,  hollow,  and  pale,  having  an  anx- 
ious and  careworn  expression,  that  in- 
dicated either  mental  or  bodilv  suffering. 
His  eye  was  bright  and  intelligent,  but 
restless,  as  was  his  head,  which  he  kept 
continually  but  slowly  moving  from  side 
to  side.  He  was  attired  in  a  suit  of  old, 
rusty  black,  which,  though  almost  thread- 
bare, and  showing  evident  marks  of 
Bucoessive  repairs,  was  scrupulously 
neat.  He  woie  a  white,  Quaker-looking 
hat,  having  a  brim  of  more  than  usual 
dimensions,  the  front  of  which  was  bent 
downwards,  so  as  effectually  to  protect 
his  face,  and  ehpecially  his  eyes,  from 
the  Btrong  light  of  the  sun.     His  queue 


gave  an  inexpressibly  droll  effect  to  his 
figure,  for  he  carried  his  head  and  n«ok 
so  much  lower  than  his  shoulders,  that 
it  could  not  reach  his  back,  but,  resting 
on  the  cape  of  his  coat,  stood  up  almost 
in  a  perpendicular  direction,  and  sag- 
gested  the  idea  of  its  being  the  handle 
of  the  protruding  arms,  or  the  root  to 
which  they  were  indebted  for  their  ex- 
traordinary length. 

"  His  manner  was  shy  and  reserved  ; 
he  held  but  little  intercourse  with  any 
one,  appearing  to  have  but  two  topics 
of  conversation  in  which  he  took  any 
interest,  namely,  piracy,  and  the  history 
of  the  early  settlement  of  the  province 
by  the  French,  their  subsequent  expul- 
sion, and  cruel  dispersion  in  the  other 
colonies,  to  every  detail  of  which  he  lis- 
tened with  the  greatest  eagerness.  He 
was  accustomed  to  take  long  and  soli- 
tary walks,  upon  which  occasions  it  was 
observed  he  was  armed  with  a  huge 
club,  which  was  accidentally  discovered 
to  be  hollow,  and  to  contain  something 
of  a  smaller  size  within  it,  generally 
supposed  to  be  a  rapier,  or  dagger.  He 
also  carried  about  with  him,  whererei 
he  went,  a  thin,  but  broad  tin  case,  con- 
taining a  pocket-book,  which  he  would 
often  take  out  during  school  hours,  and 
attentively  study,  occasionally  altering 
or  making  additions  to  what  appeared 
to  be  written  in  it. 

"  The  story  of  the  hollow  cane,  or 
sword-stick,  filled  the  school  with  won- 
der and  fear,  which  the  mysterious  case 
and  black  book  raised  to  the  highest 
pitch.  His  scholars,  however,  soon  per- 
ceived the  danger  of  approaching  him 
when  thus  engaged ;  for,  though  at  oth- 
er times  the  gentlest  and  jnost  patient 
of  beings,  he  became  furious,  and  almost 
frantic,  if  disturbed  in  the  apparently 
abstruse  calculations  of  this  masical 
book,  seizing  the  thoughtless  offender 
by  the  collar  with  his  giant  arm,  and 
swinging  him  round  and  round  in  the 
air  with  fearful  rapidity,  gnashing  his 
teeth  the  while,  and  accompanying  these 
gyrations  with  dreadful  threats  of  venge- 
ance. These  outbursts  of  passion  were 
of  a  violent  character,  but  happily  of 
short  duration.     They  ceased  as  sud- 


i.\C\       !••  a' 


S^/a}.. 


*  »i 


:'  1' 


'.* 


n 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;    OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


Hi    *•* 


IM,  si 


>'i 


itnlj  as  they  arose,  when  he  would 
plaoe  the  culprit  on  his  feet,  and,  pat- 
ting him  tenderly  and  affectionately  on 
his  head,  say,  *■  Don't  interrupt  me,  m^ 
son,  when  I  am  at  my  studies — ^it  agi* 
tates  me.'     His  sise,  his  strength,  his 
generally  calm  and  imperturbable  tem- 
per, and  occasional  fits  of  fury,  ensured 
implicit  obedience,  and  the  silence,  or- 
der, and  diligence,  observed  in  his  school, 
excited  the  astonishment  of  everT  body. 
"  One  day,  just  as  he  had  finished  a 
diagram,  and  entered  it  in  his  pocket- 
book,  he  was  suddenly  sent  for  by  a 
passenger  in  the  mail-coach  that  passed 
through  Bridge  Port,  who  desired  to  see 
him  for  a  few  minutes  at  the  inn.     In 
his  baste  to  join  his  friend,  he  forgot 
his  mysterious  manuscript  and  its  case, 
both  which  lay  on  his  table,  in  full  yiew 
of  the  boys;    In  a  moment,  all  eyes 
were  turned  on  those  objects  of  wonder. 
^  The  book — the  book  I'  was  whispered 
round  the  school;    but,  such  was  the 
awe  inspired  by  the  man,  and  erery 
thing  that  belonged  to  him,  that  for  a 
time  no  one  ventured  to  leave  his  seat. 
At  last,  a  sentinel  was  placed  at  the 
door,  in  order  to  give  notice  of  his  re- 
tarn  ;   a  consultation  held ;    and   one 
more  bold  than  the  rest,  with  palpitating 
heart  and  trembling  hands,  opened  the 
fearful  volume.    '  Ah  I*  he  exclaimed, 
'  it's  all  magic — ^look  here,  boys  I    Ah ! 
you  are  afraid,  are  you? — then  keep 
your  places :  it's  filled  with,  magical  fig- 
ures, and  the  writipg  and  all  is  in  ma- 
ffia    I  can't  make  head  or  tail  of  it  I' 
Then,  taking  up  the  tin  case,  he  drew, 
from  the  opposite  end  to  that  which 
usually  contained  the  book,  a  measuring 
tape,  a  long  cord,  with  a  bullet  fastened 
to  the  end  of  it,  a  box  of  phosphorus- 
matches,  and  a  small  trayelling  pocket- 
compass.     '  Here's  the  things  to  make 
the  magic  ring  with,  boys  I— wouldn't 
you  like   to  see  him   do  it?    Who's 
afeerd !    1  ain't.     I'd  give  any  thing  to 
see  the  Devil' — '  Here  he  is !'  said  the 
sentinel.     '  Who  1   who  V  shouted  the 
boy,  in  great  alarm.    '  Why,  the  master, 
to  be  sure,'  replied  the  other ;  *  who  did 
jou  suppose  It  was  ?' — ^  0,  my  sakes  I' 
«ud  the  little  boaster,  <  how  you  scared 


me !  1  actilly  thought  it  was  the  Deiil 
himself  agoing  to  take  me  at  my  wordi' 
and,  hastuy  replacing  the  things  when 
he  had  found  them,  he  withdrew  to  hii 
seat 

"  When  Shanks  returned  to  his  desk, 
and  saw  the  book  and  the  case  lying 
exposed  on  the  table,  he  turned  sudden- 
ly pale.    He  clinched  his  fist,  and  strode 
up  and  down  the  room  with  great  rapid- 
ity, glaring  on  the  boys  like  a  tiger, 
with  a  searching  look,  as  if  selectiac  % 
victim  for  pouncing  upon.    In  a  mv 
moments,  the  paroxysm,  as  usual,  pass- 
ed off.    He  sat  calmly  down,  and,  taking 
up  the  book,  examined  it  carefully  page 
by  pagC)  when  he  suddenly  paused,  and, 
looxing  attentively  at  something  that 
attracted  his    attention,  held  up  the 
writi  ig  to  the  light,  first  .in  one  dire^ 
tion  and  then  in  another,  and  finally 
applied  a  magnifying  glass  to  it,  when 
he  pointed  to  the  boy  who  had  called 
him  a  magician,  and  said, '  John  Park- 
er, come  forward.     How  dare  you  med- 
dle with  my  nroperty,  sir,  in  my  ab- 
sence V — '  I  didn't,'   replied  the  boy, 
with  the  greatest  assurance.    '  I  haven't 
been  off  my  seat.' — '  You  did,  sir  I'  re- 
joined the  master,  in  a  voice  of  thunder. 
'  I  appeal  to  every  scholar  present ;  and 
if  they  all  were  to  lie  as  you  have  done, 
and  say  that  you  did  not  touch  this 
book,   I  wouldn't  believe  them.     The 
name  of  Two  Thumb  Parker  is  written 
•here  in  your  own  hand.     You  are  your 
own  accuser,  and  have  borne  testimony 
against  yourself     Leave  me,  sir — leave 
me,  instantly,  while  I  am  calm,  and 
don't  return  again  I     Go  I'  and,  raising 
his  voice,  and  stamping  passionately  on 
the  floor,  he  shouted  on*    'Go!    go  I' 
when  the  terrified  boy,  t        >ring  from 
the  stupefaction  into  wh.        a  had  been 
thrown  by  the  marvellous  discovery  of 
his  name  and  guilt,  suddenly  boltea  out 
of  the  room,  without  waiting  for  his  bat 
or  coat,  and  hurried  hi.meward  with  all 
possible  speed.     The  truth  is,  the  un- 
fortunate urchin  had  a  very  remarkable 
thumb  on  his  right  hand.     It  was  onljr 
half  the  usual  length,  and  was  divided 
from  the  last  joint  outwards  into  tw« 
parts,  each  being  )perfect,  and  having  • 


'^M' 


THE  SCHOOLMASTER. 


95 


nu  the  Devil 

at  my  word  I' 

things  where 

thdrew  to  hii 

d  to  his  desk, 
16  case  lying 
irned  sadden- 
ist,  and  strode 
'.h  great  rapid- 
like a  tiger, 
if  seleotinffa 
a.    In  a  ttm 
IS  usual,  pasS' 
n,  and,  taking 
sarefuUy  page 
Y  paused,  and, 
imething  that 
held  up  the 
.in  one  direo- 
«,  and  finally 
«s  to  it,  when 
ho  had  called 
, '  John  Park- 
ilare  you  med- 
ir,  in  my  ab- 
[lied  the  boy, 
le.    '  I  haven't 
did,  sir  I'  re- 
oe  of  thunder, 
present ;  and 
ou  have  done, 
lot  touch  this 
them.     The 
cer  is  written 
fou  are  your 
•me  testimony 
me,  sir — leave 
vm  calm,  and 
'  and,  raising 
assionately  on 
'Go!    got' 
>ring  from 
6  had  been 
.  discovery  of 
nly  bolted  out 
ng  for  his  hat 
ward  with  all 
th  is,  the  un- 
ry  remarkable 
It  was  onljr 
wa»  divided 
ards  into  twe 
and  having  • 


pail  upon  it,  from  whence  he  was  called 
>  Two  Thumb  Parker.'  While  holding 
the  open  book  in  his  hand,  he  nncon- 
sciously  left  the  impression  of  his  de- 
formed and  soiled  thumb  on  the  leaf, 
«idch  the  master  not  inaptly  denomi- 
nated 'his  name  written  t>y  his  own 
hand.' 

"The  secret  was  known  only  to 
Shanks ;  but  tho  story  of  the  magical 
book,  of  the  Devil  entering  the  boy's 
)ame  in  it,  and  of  the  tin  case,  with  its 
contents,  circulated  far'  and  wide  over 
the  whole  country.  Other  peculiarities 
in  his  conduct  increased  and  confirmed 
the  general  suspicion  with  which  he  was 
surrounded.  ^  He  had  a  remarkable- 
looking  old  silver  dollar,  that  ho  called 
his  '  Hecke  Thaler,^  two  magical  words, 
of  which  he  never  could  be  induced  to 
explain  the  meaning.  He  would  often 
take  it  from  his  pocket,  and  examine  it 
with  as  much  care  and  minuteness  as  if 
be  had  never  seen  it  before,  and  then 
poise  it  on  the  point  of  one  of  the  fin- 
gers of  his  left  hand,  strike  it  with  the 
bhtde  of  a  knife,  or  ring  it  on  the  stove, 
and  listen  to  its  tones  with  the  greatest 
delight  Whenever  he  saw  dollars  in 
other  people's  possession,  he  invariably 
entreated  to  be  permitted  to  examine 
them,  and  compare  them  with  his  own, 
expressing  the  greatest  anxiety  to  pro- 
cure one  exactly  similar,  in  all  respects, 
to  that  to  which  he  was  so  much  attaohed, 
and  ofiered  a  large  sum  to  any  one  that 
I  would  procure  him  its  counterpart. 

"  All  schools  -throughout  the  country 
are  closed  at  twelve  o'clock  on  Satur- 
day, which   is  invariably  considered  a 
hilf  holiday.      He  deviated  from  this 
I  custom,  by  giving  the  boys  the  entire 
day ;  and,  whenever  the  weather  per- 
mitted, always  left  the  village  on  Friday 
afternoon,  habited  in  a  suit  of  strong, 
coarse  homespun,  carryine  a  large  and 
heavy  knapsack  on  his  shoulders,  and 
I  the  ominous  hollow  walking  cane  in  his 
I  hand — a  useless  and  inconvenient  thing 
in  the  woods,  and  one  with  which  no 
I  other   man  would    encumber  himself 
I  Whither  he  went,  or  how  he  occupied 
I  himself,  no  one  could  tell — all  that  was 
I  known  was,  that  he  invariably  took  the 


same  route  into  the  forest,  walking  at  a 
rapid  rate,  and  never  returned  andn 
until  Monday  morning,  about  eight 
o'clock,  in  time  to  f^v>  •  his  school, 
greatly  fatigued  and  evbausted. 

"  I  have  already  observed  that,  when 
he  presented  himself  as  a  candidate  for 
the  situation  of  master  of  the  academy 
%i  Bridge  Port,  he  was  a  stranger.    No 
one  knew  who  or  what  he  was,  or  whence 
he  came,  although,  from  his  accent,  man- 
ner, and  habits,  it  was  thought  probable 
tiiat  he  was  either  a  Nova  Scotian,  or  a 
native  of  the  New  England  States.    A 
residence  of  several  months  among  the 
people  did  not  enlighten  the  curious 
upon  these  points,  and  public  opinion 
was  much  divided  as  to  the  real  nature 
of  his  character.     Some  thought  him  to 
be  a  spy  in  the  employment  of  France, 
a  suspicion  encouraged  by  the  fact  that 
he  had  several  French  books  descriptive 
of  British  North  America,  and  one  in 
particular,  written   by  a  Jesuit  priest 
(Charleroix),  containing  numerous  maps 
of  the  harbors,  coasts,  and  rivers  of  the 
country,  and  also  by  the  minute  inqui> 
ries  he  made  about  the  removal  of  the 
Acadians,     Others  believed  he  was  en- 
gaged in  devising  o    executing  some 
extensive  plan  of  robbitry ;  for  his  land- 
lady, unable  to  endure  the  oppression  of 
her  curiosity,  had  opened,  by  the  aid  of  a 
neighbor's  key,  a  wooden  chest  of  his, 
while  he  was  absent  at  school,  and  dis- 
covered in  it  a  dark  lantern,  a  crowbar 
a  cold  chisel,  and  a  hatchet,  as  well  as 
other  tools  suitable  for  breaking  into 
houses.      But  the  better  opinion  ap- 
peared to  be  that  he  was  a  magician, 
and  was  in  league  with  the  powers  of 
darkness.    His  pocket-book,  the  contents 
of  the  tin  case,  the  Hecke  Thaler,  and, 
lastly,  a  crucible  and  some  charcoal, 
found  in  his  chest,  together  with  some 
extraordinary    looking    fossils,    which 
were  no  doubt  'Philosopher's  Stones,' 
seemed  to  put  the  matter  beyond  all 
dispute.     If  further  corroboration  were 
needed,  his  face  furnished  it,  by  the  ex- 
pression it  wore  of  care  and  anxiety ; 
for,  as  it  was  shrewdly  observed,  although 
the  Devil  imparts  knowledge  and  wealth 
to  his  votaries,  he  is  a  stranger  to  hap- 


«v 


l>? 


1'  > 


t» 


■           V 

'.f. 

*t'  i 

%^ 

»<<; 
"& 

B 

-fc'^ 

') 

'k^ 

11 


'  K^' 


«  'H*.* 


96 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


piness  himself,  and  cannot  confer  it 
upon  others. 

"  No  man  was  ever  so  unconsoioiis  of 
the  feelings  and  suspicions  he  had  given 
rise  to  as  poor  Welcome  Shanks :  loving 
lolitude,  and  avoiding  societv,  he  was 
not  aware  that  he  was  avoided  himself 
The  awe  with  which  he  was  regarded 
imther  flattered  his  vanitj  than  awft- 
kened  his  apprehensions,  for  he  mistook 
it  for  respect  for  his  great  erudition  and 
unimpeachable  character.  Poor  man  I 
he  thought  if  he  had  a  secret,  it  was  his 
own,  and  he  had  a  right  to  keep  it.  Had 
he  mixed  more  with  the  world,  he  would 
have  found  thait  it  is  an  offence  against 
society  at  large,  for  a  man  to  presume 
to  have  a  secret  at  all,  unless  the  fact 
of  his  having  it  be  carefully  concealed 
also. 

"  No  avowed  secret  ever  was  permit- 
ted to  be  retained  inviolate;  even  the 
freemasons  have  had  theirs  disclosed. 
A  lady  once  told  me,  she  had  discovered 
it,  after  years  of  anxious  perseverance ; 
and,  as  it  was  one  of  the  most  singular 
mysteries  in  the  world,  she  would  com- 
municate it  to  me.  She  said  she  had 
given  her  husband  no  peace  by  day  or 
night,  until  he  revealed  it.  She  had 
coaxed  him  with  endearments,  teased 
him  with  importunities,  tormented  him 
with  annoyances,  and  entrapped  him 
when  unguarded  ;  and,  finally,  extorted 
from  him  the  disclosure,  which  was, 
that  in  reality  there  was  no  secret,  after 
all,  there  being,  in  fact,  nothing  to  tell. 
Many  cocsultations  were  held  by  the 
people,  as  to  the  best  mode  of  making 
him  give  some  account  of  himself ;  and 
at  last  it  was  decided  to  have  him  ap- 
prehended, and  examined  before  a  mag- 
istrate, but  the  difficulty  wan  to  find  a 
charge  that  would  justify  his  arrest. 
While  this  embarrassing  subject  was 
under  consideration,  ho  saved  them  the 
trouble  of  proceeding  any  further  in  the 
matter,  by  relinquishing  the  school  and 
quitting  the  place. 

"  A  few  evenings  previous  to  his  de- 
parture, he  called  at  my  house,  and, 
■ending  in  his  name,  begged  the  favor 
df  a  private  interview.  After  carefully 
olosing  the    study  door,    and    looking 


round  the  room,  to  ascertain  that  wi 
were  alone,  and  out  of  the  hearing  of 
others,  he  said,  '  Judge,  I  have  discor- 
ered  that  there  is  a  treasure  buried  in 
this  estate.' — '  I  know  it,'  I  said. — ^' Ali,' 
he  replied,  his  countenance  beambg 
with  joy, '  ah,  I  am  right,  then  I  I  knew 
I  could  not  be  mistaken.  When,  and 
by  whom  was  it  hidden,  sir  ? — I  will 
not  ask  you  where,  for  that  I  have  dis- 
covered already.' — ^  By  my  father  and 
myself :  we  have  sunk  more  money,  ig 
clearing,  cultivating,  and  improving 
Elmsdale,  than  would  purchase  it  twioe 
over ;  but  that  money  neither  you  nor 
I  will  ever  find,  my  friend.' 

"  His  face  suddenly  became  overoast  I 
with  an  expression  of  disappointment 
and  mortification.     I  had  unintention- 
ally, it  seemed,  wounded  his  feelingi)  I 
by  subjecting  him  and  his  theory  to  whtt 
he  considered  ridicule.     '  Will  you  pe^ 
mit  me  to  dig  for  the  treasure  where  I  { 
know  it  to  be  V — '  Certainly,'  I  replied; 
'  you  may  dig  wherever  you  please,  pro- 
vided you  do  me  no  damage,  and  do  not  I 
disfigure  my  grounds.* — '  What  propor- 
tion will  you  require  as  owner  of  the  I 
soil  ?' — *  ITou  are  welcome  to  all  yoo 
can  find.     I  only  ask  the  privilege  of  t 
friend,  to  advise  yon  to  save  yourself 
the  trouble.     It  is  impossible  there  can 
be  any  hidden  treasure  op  this  property.  I 
It  never  was  inhabited,  previous  to  onri 
oocapation,  but  by  Indians,  who,  we  all  I 
know,  had  neither  gold  nor  silver,  and! 
by  the  French  Acadians,  who  were  at  I 
most  equally  poor.     They  were  men  I 
peasants,  who  lived  on  the  production!  I 
of  their  farms,  while  the  little  tradtl 
they  had,  either  with  each  other  or  the] 
savages,  was  conducted  by  barter.    Thejl 
had  nothinjg  to  bury.' — '  Pardon  lae,'  hel 
said ;   *■  many  had  not,  but  some  had  I 
money — so  my  information  goes>— andl 
I  can  rely  upon  it' — '  Yes,  large  snmil 
of  money  for  conducting  tne  fur  trade! 
with  France ;  although  I  must  admhl 
that  this  district  is  not  rich  in  trea»| 
ure.' — *  But  Chester  Bay,  Judge — Che»[ 
ter  Bay,  Judge  1'  and  he  straitened  hinl 
self  for  the  first  time,  I  believe,  siDCtl 
he  came  to  Bridge  Port ;  and  exhibitedl 
his  great  height  and  manly  frame  tc| 


l<hi 


THE  SCHOOLMASTER. 


W 


neh  advantage,  that  he  seemed  as  if 
he  had  been  suddenly  transformed  into 
another  being.  '  Ghuster  Bay,  Judge, 
ii  the  place  for  treasure.  Millions  were 
buried  there  by  the  pirates ;  whole  oar- 
goes  of  Spanish  galleons,  coin  and  bul- 
uon,  jewels,  prcoions  stones,  and  wealth 
untold.  I  am  on  the  track  of  it  at  last — 
s  few  weeks  more,  and  it  is  mine :  where 
the  rod  first  pointed,  it  now  bends  down 
uifto  touch  it.  But  the  prppitious 
time  of  night  is  now  come,  and,  by  your 
leave,  kind  sir,  I  will  go  and  dig  for 
this  Frenchman's  money,'  and,  seizing 
his  hat,  disappeared  from  the  room. 

"Shortly  afterwards,  we  were  dis- 
turbed by  a  violent  knocking  at  the 
door,  and  my  servant  was  not  a  little 
akrined  at  finding  the  unwelcome  visitor 
seeking  admission  again  at  so  late  an 
hour.  'Show  me  into  your  master's 
atady,'  he  said.  '  Judge,'  he  exclaimed, 
'  I  have  found  it !  I  have  found  it  I  it 
was  concealed  under  the  root  of  an  old 
tree.  Here  it  is ! — ^but  you  were  fight, 
sir,  in  saying  the  Acadians  were  gen- 
erally peasants.  This  was  the  saving 
of  a  poor  man,  for  it  is  chiefly  in  small 
ulver  pieces.' 

"^  He  then  unstrapped  his  knapsack, 
and  taking  from  it  a  rusty  old  tin  kettle, 
removed  the  cover,  and  exposed  to  view 
a  quantity  of  silver  shillings,  sixpences, 
Spanish  pistareens,  and  quarter  and 
half  dollars,  amounting,  in  all,  to  about 
seventy-five  pounds. — '  This  is  not  the 
property  of  the  French,'  I  said,  after 
examining  a  number  of  the  different 
coins ;  '  the  Acadians  were  transported 
from  this  country  in  the  year  1755 ; 
bat  nearly  all  this  money  bears  a  sub- 
sequent date ;  I  think  that  I  know  to 
whom  this  package  belonged.' — 'Ah,' 
he  observed,  with  a  sad  but  decided  tone, 
and  an  air  of  gVievous  disappointment, 
'  if  there  is  an  owner,  I  will  restore  it : 
treasare-trove — I  think  that  is  the  word, 
Judge — treasure-trove  in  this  country, 
where  the  King  makes  no  claim,  is  the 

Eroperty  of  the  finder,  but  treasure  lost 
elones  to  the  owner — it  must  be  re- 
itored.' 

"'About  thirty  years  ago,'  I  said, 
'there  was  a  knife-grinder  wandering 
7 


about  the  country,  who  was  always  in 
the  habit  of  getting  drunk  on  Saturday 
night,  on  which  occasion  his  wife  very 
prudently  hid  his  money,  lest  he  should 
squander  more  of  it  than  he  could  afford. 
Once  she  hid  it  so  effectually,  that  she 
could  never  find  it  again,  and  loud  and 
long  were  the  lamentations  of  the  poor 
people  over  their  lost  property.  She 
always  believed  that  it  had  been  stolen 
by  some  person  who  had  observed  hor 
concealing  it.  The  following  year  they 
were  both  drowned,  by  the  upsetting  of 
a  ferry-boat,  where  the  bridge  now 
stands  at  the  village.  They  were  stran- 
gers, uncontieoted  with,  and  unknown 
to,  any  body  in  the  province,  and  have 
long  since  been  forgotten.  Can  you 
show  me  the  spot  where  this  money  was 
found  V — '  Certainly,'  he  replied  ;  and, 
taking  out  the  mysterious  pocket-book, 
he  showed  me  a  sketch  of  the  stump. — 
'I  always  mark  places,'  he  observed, 
'  where  the  hazel  wand  points  to  metal- 
lic substances,  and  take  their  bearings 
by  measurements  to  other  objects,  so 
that  I  can  find  them  again.  My  obser- 
vations are  all  entered  in  a  cipher  of 
my  own  invention,  for  fear  of  losing  my 
book  and  disclosing  my  secret.' — '  Will 
you  show  me  your  wand?' — '  Certainly; 
here  it  is ;'  and,  unscrewing  the  top  of 
his  cane,  he  drew  out  the  prophetic  ha- 
zel— *■  Ah,  sir,'  he  exclaimed,  with  evi- 
dent satisfaction  and  pride,  '  this  is  a 
beautiful  wand — a  real  German  hazel 
from  Upper  Saxony — it  is  as  true  as  a 
load-stone. — How  truly  it  indicated  this 
treasure ;  and  it  points  as  decidedly  to 
that  of  the  pirates,  which,  by  God's 
blessing  and  tne  aid  of  this  little  wind- 
fall of  money,  I  hope  to  reach  soon. 
That  wand,  Judge,  and  this  inestimable 
Hecke  Thaler^  showing  me  the  renowned 
old  silver  dollar,  <  cost  me  a  great  deal 
of  money — all  that  I  was  worth  in  the 
world  at  the  time,  a  very  large  sum  for 
a  poor  man,  but  a  mere  trifle  for  such 
invaluable  things — I  gave  a  thousand 
dollars  for  them.' 

" '  Pray,  what  is  a  Hecke  Thaler  ?'  I 
inquired, '  I  never  heard  the  term  be- 
fore.'— '  A  Hecke  Thaler,  Judge,  is  a 
sympathetic  dollar.      Every  thing  in 


\<s 


^\M 


't' 


s 


?s,«--^ 


'#fll 


'  kf^ 


THE  OLD  JUDOBi  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLOIfr. 


nainre,  animate  and  inanimate,  ii  en- 
dowed with  sympathy.  In  the  animal 
world,  it  exists  in  sex ;  in  the  mineral 
world,  in  kindred,  affinity,  or  identity. 
Thia  dollar  is  known  to  be  sympathetio. 
It  has  been  proved  to  be  so  ia  Grarmany. 
If  a  kindred  or  identical  dollar  oan  be 
found  of  equal  purity  and  texture,  aiie 
and  density,  and  brouffht  into  oontaot 
with  the  sympathy  of  this  one,  they  can 
produce  a  thud  dollar,  and  bo  on  ad 
Jinitum,  from  which  wonderful  power 
it  derives  its  name  of  Heeke  Thaler,  or 
Hatching  Dollar.  It  is  one  of  the  myi- 
teries  of  nature  that  sdence  cannot  ex- 
plain or  imitate — one  of  the  innumer- 
able wonders  with  which  an  inscrutable 
Providence  surrounds  us  on  all  sides, 
though,  in  reality,  no  more  strange  or 
miraculous  than  we  are  ourselveK  Ijike 
beffets  like — ^unlike  begets  unlike :  steel 
and  flint  produce  fire — thejr  are  not  like, 
but  wheat  brings  wheat  of  its  own  kind, 
and  in  its  own  likeness — so  silver  pro- 
duces silver.  It  is  the  restorative  power 
of  nature  that  thus  counteracts  the  tend- 
ency to  decay  in  all  things  terrestrial 
I  tiought  the  Hecke  Thaler  and  the 
haiel  wand  from  an  aged  German  in 
Lunenburg,  whose  father'-^—  'You 
have  been  grossly  deoeived  and  shame- 
fully treated,  my  good  friend,'  I  sidd. 
*  Is  it  possible  that  a  man  of  your  good 
sense  can  believe  in  such  a  palpaUe  ab- 
surdity as  the  Hecke  Thaler?' 

"  He  rose  hastily,  in  great  agitation^ 
and  held  up  his  hand,  as  if  to  waive  the 
diaonasion,  and  said,  I  know  all  vou 
wonld  say,  Judee^-I  know  all  yon  thinJc 
Tou  imagine  that  my  head  is  i^eeted, 
and  regard  me  either  u  a  madman  or  a 
fooL  it  is  natural,  very  natural  vou 
should.    I  have  not  your  knowl#^(e, 

t  t    'X     '   t     '         •  •> ,    i  1    i 

t  ,  ^t   <t    "    ,!.•    I    '''    i,     -         ,    i   . 

..J;  ,^     H     ,1 


t 


■>!, 


Jttd(»— X  am  BOt  M  karotd  nor  m  wIm 
aa  you  art :  but  I  orava  your  pardca, 

rid  sir— ^tniok  mt  not  praaumntaoai 
I  aay  tbtra  art  lomo  thioM  I  kan 
wbioh  yon  bava  Dot  stodlad.  The  blind 
bear  mora  aoeuratiily,  and  bava  a  keener 
sens*  of  faaling,  tbao  thoM  who  have 
evaaigbt;  thay  bava  leia  to  distrwi 
tbair  attaniion,  and  obaarre  more  aeea- 
mtaly.  I  bava  thought  deeply  on  thk 
anbjact  and  moat  sot  lose  my  iaith  U 
oaoaa  I  eannot  explain  tba  mysteries  of 
natwra,  alaa  am  I  an  ttabaUeving  heath- 
en. I  follow  my  deatiny,  whatever  u^ 
ia,  and  wbatarar  is  to  ba,  will  oome  tt 
paaa— naitbMT  you  nor  I  oan  alter  tht 
deoraaa  of  Fate.  Next  week  my  tern 
expires  at  Bridge  Fort  Will  you  be  » 
good  aa  to  allow  tbii  money  to  reman 
in  voor  aafe  till  that  time,  when  I  will 
oall  and  take  it  on  my  way  to  Ohestn 
Bay,  wbara  it  ia  mv  intention  to  proN- 
ottte  my  aaarob  untU  I  obtain  the  object 
of  my  wisbaa.' 

**  In  a  fow  dava  ba  raturnad,  aooomw 
nied  by  Baroby,  who  oonverted  hii 
money  for  bim  into  tba  mora  portabb 
and  oonvaniant  form  of  gold,  and,  thuk- 
ing  me  for  what  be  oalled  my  great  oos- 
daaeanalon  and  kindnaaa,  bada  mo  ftre- 
wall. 

<*  A  month  or  two  after  thia,  I  obsen 
ed  a  notioa  in  one  of  tba  pajpara  of  tlw 
death  of  Mr.  Waloomo  Sbankt,  who  loai 
hia  life  by  tba  eollapia  of  a  abaft  io 
whiob  ba  waa  working  on  Tanoooi 
laland,  in  Ofaaitar  Bay.  The  object  d 
the  exoavation,  it  want  on  to  say,  tf 
peared  to  ba  lo  perfectly  nnintelligible 
that  it  waa  generally  auppoiad  the  no 
fortunate  man  mual  ba?a  baatt  of  u 
aonnd  mind."  ntfU'^fM 


im..^- 


V'-M 


ladnoriflwiM 
your  pardM, 
prMamptttow 
thioM  1  k&w 
•d.  Tht  blind 
i  h«v«  •  keonn 
boN  who  have 
M  to  diatnot 
rro  more  aooi- 
deeply  on  tl^ 
B«  my  (kith  W 
le  tnyateriea  «f 
elieviog  heatii- 
y,  whatever  ii^ 
I,  will  oome  to 
:  oan  alter  tht 
week  my  ten 
Will  yott  be  to 
)oey  to  renuBo 
n;  when  I  will 
WAV  to  OheaHi 
mtion  to  proM- 
btain  the  oDjtet 

iraed,  aooomw 
oonverted  hii 
more  portabh 
;old,  ana,  thuk- 
i  my  great  eon- 
I,  bade  me  lkr» 

ir  thii,  I  obaerr- 

I  papers  of  thi 

hanks,  who  loii 

of  a  shaft  is 

on    Tanoooli 

Theobjeotof 

on  to  say,  tf 

f  ttninteliigibk 

pposed  the  on- 

f  tem  of  II 

H 

•■  .',..     :i- 

:..   -4,:. 


9'W 

-■,1  fr 

'  '">■ 

<  I  '■    n^ 
X,  ?.f;  ■ 


.:.-.'s^'<' 


f.    <■ 


.  I,. 


''\ 


,.f    I;    ;.    . 


%■''■- 


THE  LONE  HOUSE.  / 


■:  1' 


1  ..'.*.•?•■  s.. 


This   morning^  I  scoompanied  the 
Jadge  and    Miss    Sandford  in  their 
ilei^  on  an  excursion  into  the  country. 
The  scone,  though  rather  painful  to  the 
eyes,  was  indescribably   oriUisnt  and 
iMStttiful.    There  had  been,  during  last 
night  and  part  of  yesterday,  a  slight 
t^w,  accompanied  by  a  cold,  fine  rain 
tiat  frose,  the  moment  it  fell,  into  ice 
of  the  purest  crystal.     Every  deoidnous 
tree  was  covered  with   this  glittering 
floating,  and  looked  in  the  distance  like 
an  enormous  though  gracefid  bunch  of 
feathers ;  while,  on  a  nearer  approach, 
it  resembled,  with  its  limbs  now  bend- 
ing under  the  heavy  weight  of  the  trans- 
parent incrustation,  a  dassling  chande- 
uer.    The  open  fields,  covered  with  a 
rough  but  hardened  surface  of  snow, 
gUstened  in  the  sun  as  if  thickly  strewed 
with  the  largest  diamonds ;  and  every 
rail  of  the  wooden  fences  in  this  general 
profusion  of  ornaments  was  decorated 
with  a  delicate  fringe  of  pendent  ice, 
that   radiated    like    burnished    silver. 
The  heavy  and  sombre  spruce,  loaded 
with  snow,  rejoiced  in  a  green  old  age. 
Having  its   massy  shape  relieved  oy 
strong  and  numerous  lights,  it  guned 
in  grace  what  it  lost  in  strengtn,  and 
Btooa  erect  among  its  drooping  neigh* 
bors,  venerable  but  vigorous,  the  hoary 
fore&ther  of  the  wood. 

The  tall  and  slender  poplar  and  white 
birch,  which  hero  and  toere  had  sprung 
an  in  the  new  clearings  from  the  roots 
of  old  trees,  and  outgrown  their  strength 
and  proportions,  bent  their  heads  grace- 
fully to  the  ground  under  their  unusual 
burden,  and  formed  fanciful  arches 
which  the  frost  encircled  with  numer- 


'.1-JS 


0U8  wreaths  of  pearls.  Every  thing  in 
the  distance  was  covered  with  the  pnreat 
white,  while  the  colors  of  nearer  objeota 
were  as  diversified  as  their  forms. 

The  bark  of  the  different  trees  and 
their  limbs  appeared  through  the  trans- 
parent ice ;  and  the  rays  of  the  sun,  j« 
they  fell  upon  them,  invested  them  with 
all  the  hues  of  the  prism.     It  was  a 
scene  as  impossible  to  describe  as  to 
forget.     To  the  natives,  it  is  not  an  un- 
usual sight,  for  it  generally  occurs  once 
a  year,  at  least,  and  its  effects  are  as 
well  appreciated  as  its  beauty.     The 
farmer  foresees  and  laments  serious  in- 
jury to  his  "orchard,  the  woodman  a  pit* 
Uess  pelting  of  ice  as  he  plies  his  axe  in 
the  rorest,  the  huntsman  a  barrier  to 
his  sport,  and  the  traveller  an  omen  of 
hard  and  severe  weather ;  and  yet  snoh 
was  the  glory  of  the  landscape,  that 
every  heart  felt  its  magic,  and  acknow- 
ledged the  might  and  the  beauty  of  this 
sudden    transformation.      It   was   the 
work  of  a  night.     The  sun  set  with 
chilling  showers.      It  rose  in  all  its 
splendor  to  witness  and  to  heighten,  by 
its  presence,  the  magnificence  and  bril- 
liancy of  the  scene.    We  constantly  re- 
curred to  this  topic  after  our  return, 
and  again  and  again  went  to  the  win- 
dow, as  the  day  declined,  to  catch  the 
last  parting  glimpse  of  the  "  silver  frost" 
before  it  dissolved  from  view  under  tho 
gaze  of  the  sun,  and  vanished  for  ever. 
In  the  evening,  winter  and  its  scenery, 
its  festivities  and  privations,   and  its 
effects  on  the  habits  and  tastes  of  the  peo- 
ple, formed  the  subject  of  a  long  conver- 
sation, in  which  the  Judge  told  me  tiio 
following  sad  and  interesting  story : — > 


«^«- 
«i<li    "S 


M     ■» 


100 


THK  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


iiii  rV\ 


It*  I* 


I'    4#^ 


I:      i- 


On  ono  of  the  sboroToads,  u  the 
Ughwayi  nenr  the  Atlantic  are  called, 
in  ft  dUtant  part  of  the  proyinoe,  there 
!•  ft  lone  I10U8O,  situated  in  the  midst 
of  ono  of  tlio  wildest  and  most  barren 
tracts  of  country  in  these  oolonies ;  on 
oltber  lido  of  It  are  enormous  bogs, 
■trotohin|  awity  in  the  distaooe  for 
miles.  Ilehind  it  is  an  undulatins 
country  of  granite  formation,  covered 
with  enormous  masses  of  detached  rook. 
In  ttont  is  a  Intce,  in  a  deep  and  sunk- 
en bollowi  so  still,  so  oheerless  and  re- 
SultlTO,  tnat  it  looks  like  the  pool  of 
Mtb.  Beyond  this,  a  mountain  wave 
of  grftnito  rises  and  shuts  oat  the  sea, 
which  ii  not  far  distant  The  place 
where  the  house  stands  is  a  small  ridge 
of  land  in  the  form  of  a  wedge,  which 
formerly  bore  beech  and  birch  trees; 
ftnd  not  only  had  a  tolerable  soil,  but 
Wfte  exempt  from  the  inoumbrance  of 
loose  stone.  Beyond  this  ridge,  how- 
ever, ftll  is  barren.  The  surface  is  either 
Qftked  rook  or  partially  covered  with 
moM,  the  wild  strawberry,  and  the  hardy 
white  olover.  Here  and  there  a  stunted 
birob  or  dwarf  larch  finds  a  scanty  sub- 
iietence  in  the  crevices  of  the  rocks,  or 
'n  ooftrie  gravel  formed  by  the  disinte- 
gffttlon  that  tine  and  the  alternations 
of  beat  and  frost  have  produced  in  the 

franite.  In  the  hollows,  which  resem- 
le  boflni  or  stone  reservoirs,  a  boggy 
■ubatftnoo  has  aeottmulated,  that  nur- 
turei  imall  groves  of  ill-oonditioned  and 
bftlf'fed  firs,  which  seem  to  have  grown 
prematurely  old,  and  gray  before  their 
tioM.  being  covered  with  white  moss, 
wbion,  oliuibing  up  their  stems,  hangs 
pendent  from  their  limbs,  like  hoary 
looks.  The  larger  bogs  on  the  right 
and  left  are  in  part  covered  with  a  long, 
ooftrie,  Miuatio  grass  (which  the  moose 
end  cariboo  feed  upon  in  winter,  when 
the  frost  enables  tliem  to  travel  over 
those  treacherous  and  dangerous  places), 
ftnd  in  part  by  the  yellow  water-lilies, 
the  wild  iris,  and  clusters  of  cranberry- 
buibei. 

It  ie  impossible  to  conceive  any  thing 
more  lonely  and  desolate  than  this  place. 
JSven  in  summer,  when  the  grassy  road 
!•  well  detded,  and  vegetation  has  done 


its  best  to  clothe  the  huge  proportions  cf 
the  landscape  and  oouceal  its  povertj 
and  deformity,  when  the  glittering  in. 
sects  flutter  by  to  withdraw  your  atten> 
tion  from  their  dank,  stagnant,  and  an* 
wholesome  cradles,  to  their  own  beauty, 
and  the  wild  bee,  as  he  journeys  on. 
whispers  of  his  winter's  store  of  honeyj 
and  the  birds  sing  merrily  that  content- 
ment is  bliss ;  even  then,  excited  by  the 
novelty  of  the  scene,  and  interested,  aa 
you  are,  in  the  little,  lone  household  of  the 
desert,  its  total  seclusion  from  the  world, 
and  the  whole  human  family,  overpowen 
and  appals  you.  A  crowd  of  ideas  rash- 
es into  your  mind  &Hter  than  you  can  or 
range  and  dispose  of  them.  Surely,  yon 
say,  here,  at  least,  is  innocence ;  and, 
where  there  is  innocence,  there  must  be 
happiness.  Where  there  is  no  tempter, 
there  can  be  no  victim.  It  is  the  "  still 
water"  of  life.  Hnre,  all  is  calm  and 
quiet,  while,  on  either  side,  is  the  rapid 
or  the  cataract.  The  passions  can  have 
no  scope ;  the  affections  must  occupj 
the  whole  ground.  How  can  envy, 
hatred,  malice,  or  uncharitableness  find 
an  entrance  ?  There  can  be  nothing  to 
envy  where  the  condition  of  all  is  alike, 
and  where  all  that  is  garnered  is  a  com- 
mon stock.  There  can  be  no  hatred, 
where  there  is  no  injury  or  no  superi- 
ority ;  but  they  can  love  one  another, 
for  they  are  all  in  all  to  each  other ;  and 
they  can  trim  their  fire  for  the  poor 
wayfaring  man,  feed  him,  and  send  him 
on  his  journey  rejoicing.  They  can 
hear  from  him  of  the  houseless  stranger, 
and  bless  Ood  with  thankful  hearts  that 
He  has  given  them  a  home  to  dwell  in. 
He  may  tell  them  tales  of  war,  but  thev 
feel  they  are  beyond  its  reach ;  and, 
what  is  far  better,  learn  that,  if  povertj 
baa  its  privations,  it  has  also  its  own 
peculiar  privileges  and  immunities. 
Thoughts  like  these  naturally  force 
themselves  upon  you  in  such  a  "scena 
Your  feelings  are  subdued  and  soften- 
ed. You  behold  the  family  with  inter 
est  and  affection,  but  still  you  shrink  ai 
a  full  view  of  their  situation,  and  invol- 
untarily regard  it  with  pity  as  a  hope- 
less exile.  You  are  a  creature  of  habit, 
you  cannot   understand  it;    you  feel 


proportions  cf 
il  its  povertj 
glittering  iu. 
w  your  atten* 
nant,  and  nii' 
r  own  beauty, 
journeya  on, 
tore  of  noneyi 
that  content- 
excited  by  the 
interested,  aa 
useholdofthe 
rom  the  world, 
ly,  overpower! 
i  of  ideas  rash- 
an  you  can  ax- 
.  Surely,  yoa 
inoence ;  and, 
Lhere  mast  be 
is  no  tempter, 
[t  is  the  "  still 
1  is  calm  and 
e,  is  the  rapid 
lions  can  have 
must  occupj 
w  can  envy, 
Ittbleneis  find 
be  nothing  to 
of  all  is  alike, 
ered  is  a  com- 
i)o  no  hatred, 
or  no  superi- 
one  another, 
loh  other ;  and 
for  the  poor 
and  send  him 
They  can 
eless  stranger, 
'ul  hearts  that 
le  to  dwell  in. 
war,  but  the? 
reach ;  and, 
lat,  if  povertj 
also  its  own 
immunities, 
iturally  force 
such  a  "scene 
1  and  soften- 
ly  with  inter 
you  shrink  ai 
on,  aad  invol- 
ity  as  a  hope- 
iture  of  habit, 
it;    yoa  feel 


THE  LONE  HOUSE. 


101 


ron  have  social  duties  to  perform  ;  that 
grief  is  lessened  when  the  burden  is  di- 
Tided,  and  happiness  increased  when  it 
ii  imparted ;  that  man  was  not  made  to 
live  alone  ;  and  that  natural  wants',  in- 
dividual weakness,  and  common  proteo- 
tion  require  that,  though  we  live  in 
fiimilios,  our  families  must  dwell  in  eom- 
mnnities. 

If  such  be  the  feelings  that  a  travel- 
ler entertains,  even  in  summer,  how 
most  he  shudder  when  he  regards  this 
lone  house  in  winter  ?  I  have  seen  many 
lolitary  habitations  as  well  as  this,  and 
tome  of  them  much  farther  removed 
from  any  neighborho'od,  but  never  one  so 
dreary  and  so  desolate.  Follow  any 
new  road  into  the  wilderness,  and  you 
will  find  a  family  settled  there,  miles 
and  miles  from  any  house.  But  imagi- 
nation soon  fills  up  the  intervening 
ipaoe  with  a  dense  population,  and  you 
Me  them  in  the  midst  of  a  well  cultiva- 
ted country,  and  enjoying  all  the  bldss- 
ings  of  a  civilized  community.  They 
ire  merely  pioneers.  They  have  taken 
ap  their  station  :  the  tide  of  emigration 
will  speedily  reach  them^and  pass  on. 
Go  intd  that  house,  and  y(m  are  at  once 
sttuok  with  the  difference  of  the  two 
families.  The  former  is  still  life  and 
contentment;  the  latter  is  all  hope, 
bustle,  and  noisy  happiness.  The  axe 
ig  at  work  on  the  forest,  that  is  ringing 
with  its  regular  blows.  Merry  voices 
are  heard  there,  and  the  loud  laugh 
echoes  through  the  woods,  for  friends 
have  come  from  the  settlements,  and  ten 
acres  of  wood  are  to  be  cut  down  in  one 
day.  Sleighs  arc  arriving  with  their 
neighbors  and  relations,  from  whom 
they  have  lately  parted  ;  and  at  night 
there  will  be  a  festive  assembly  at  a 
place  which,  until  the  year  before,  when 
the  road  was  made  and  the  house  built, 
was  in  the  heart  of  a  howling  wilder* 
There  is  nothing  about  such  a 


ness, 


dwelling  to  make  you  think  it  desolate, 
although  loneliness  is  its  characteristic. 
Converse  with  the  forester,  a  fine,  man- 
ly, native  settler,,  and  you  find  he  has 
visions  of  a  mill  on  his  brook  ;  he  talks 
of  keeping  fifty  head  of  horned  cattle  in 
a  few  years.    As  soon  as  his  mill  is  fin- 


ished, this  log-hut  is  to  be  superseded  by 
a  large  frame  house;  and  that  miser- 
able shed,  as  he  calls  his  stable,  is  to 
give  place  to  a  spacious  barn,  seventh 
feet  long  and  fifty  feet  wide.  He  is  full 
of  merriment,  oonfideuce,  and  hope. 
In  the  former  place,  a  pious  resignation, 
a  placid  contentment,  nearts  chastened 
and  subdued  into  a  patient  endurance 
of  toil,  and  a  meek  but  firm  reliance  on 
the  superintendence  of  a  Divine  Provi- 
dence, form  a  strong  contrast  to  the 
more  animated  and  self-relying  forest 
family. 

The  wintry  blast  howls  round  their 
dwelling,  like  a  remorseless  and  savage 
foe.  Its  hollow,  mournful  voice  appals 
the  heart  with  painful  recollections  of 
its  overpowering  strength ;  and  the 
poor  besieged  family,  as  they  encircle 
their  little  fire  at  night  (drawn  still 
closer  together  now  by  their  mutual 
fears  and  affections),  offer  up  a  silent 
prayer  to  the  thVone  of  grace,  and  im* 
plore  the  continued  and  merciful  pro- 
tection of  Him  who  is  always  a  father  to 
the  fatherless.  At  this  season  the  road 
is  covered,  in  common  with  the  dreary 
desert,  with  deep  snow.  In  the  clear 
light  of  an  unclouded  sun,  its  direction 
m^  be  ascertained  by  an  experienced 
traveller,  and  by  him  alone;  but,  at 
night,  or  in  stormy  weather,  it  is  a  vast 
Kfxd  trackless  field,  where  the  fatigued 
and  bewildered  stranger  is  doomed  to 
inevitable  death. 

To  afford  shelter  and  assistance  to  the 
traveller,  to  furnish  him  with  a  guide, 
and  speed  him  on  his  way,  was  the  ob- 
ject which  John  Lent  had  in  view  in 
settling  on  the  "  Ridge."  He  was  aid- 
ed by  the  subscriptions  and  encouraged 
by  the  personal  assistance  of  those  on 
either  side  of  the  desert  who  were  inter- 
ested in  the  road,  or  in  the  benevo- 
lence of  the  undertaking.  A  house  and 
barn  were  erected  with  much  labor  and 
difficulty  (for  all  the  materials  were 
brought  from  a  great  distance),  tho 
Court  of  Sessions  granted  him  a  free 
tavern  license,  and  the  legislature  of  the 
province  a  small  sum  of  ten  or  twelve 
pounds  a  year,  in  consideration  of  the 
I  importance  of  this  >touse  to  the  mail 


''! 


'f^». 


THB  OLD  JUDOli  OR,  UFI  Ilf  A  COLONY. 


flOmmnieaUoB  to  tluit  part  of  tk«  pro- 


*^% 


C< 


^  i 


The  Ridge  oontained  aboat  thirty 
•orotofUnd.  Thefe  were  soon  olMred 
•nd  brought  into  eultiTation,  and  pro- 
daoed  hie  winter'i  store  of  hty,  and 
jearlj  supply  of  wheat  and  TegetaUea. 
His  aheep  and  oows  wandered  OTor  the 
plaina,  and  found  in  summer,  in  an  ex- 
tended  ranee,  suffioient  food  on  the  seat* 
tared  and  snort,  but  sweet  herbage  of 
i^te  olover,  and  the  leares  of  the  dwarf 
boihea.  The  bog  supplied  him  with 
Aiel  and  materius  for  oultiTatinc  his 
fklda,  while  the  proceeds  of  his  littb  inn 
enaMed  him  to  obtain  some  of  those  ar- 
lielea  of  groceries  that  habit  has  render* 
ed  indispensable  to  the  poorest  people 
in  this  oountry. 

8«eh  was  the  condition  of  this  family. 
They  deriVed  a  scanty  but  a  certain  pro> 
Tision  from  the  sources  I  have  desoriDed. 
Tear  followed  year  with  little  rariation. 
Their  occupations  came  and  ceased  with 
the  aeasons.  Time  passed  silently  away, 
and,  as  there  were  few  incidents  of  im- 
portance that  interested  them,  its  fliffht 
was  unporceiTcd  and  unmarked.  The 
tibree  eldest  daughters  had  sererally  left 
home  for  serrioe  in  the  next  town, 
whieh  was  a  seaport ;  had  married  and 
onitted  the  country;  and  the  family, 
st  the  time  I  am  speaking  of,  consisted 
of  John  Lent,  his  wife,  and  three  little 
gfrb,  the  younsest  of  whom  was  seTen 

{ears  of  age.  When  I  arrived  at  the 
onae  last  summer,  Mrs.  Lent  did  not 
at  first  recognize  me.  Old  age  had  so 
oo^upletely  covered  my  visage  with  his 
wrinkled  and  repolsive  mask,  that  the 
features  of  mannood  were  effectually 
eoiMwaled  from  view.  It  had  removed 
my  hair,  deprived  me  of  my  teeth,  ob- 
scured my  eyes,  and  disfigured  my 
cheeks  with  unseemly  furrows. 

These  ravages  of  time,  however,  are 
wisely  permitted  or  ordained,  to  prepare 
18  to  leave  a  world  which  we  can  no 
longer  either  serve  or  adorn.  In  pro- 
portion as  we  lose  our  personal  attrac- 
tions, mankind  recede  from  us ;  and,  at 
last,  we  mutually  take  leave  of  each 
•ther  without  a  sigh  or  a  tear  of  regret 
Wl^lt  years  had  gradually  effected  for 


me,  misfortitae  had  suddenly  and  deepi 
ly  encraven  upon  her.  The  young  and 
Meeiral  woman  whom  I  had  known  wm 
now  a  staid  and  care-worn  matron  ;  th* 
light  an4  elastic  stop  of  youth  had  bees 
lueeeeded  by  the  slow  and  heavy  tread 
of  limba  stiffened  with  toil,  and  her  hait 
had  blanched  under  grief  and  anxiety. 
My  voioe  first  attracted  her  attention. 
Sm  said  she  knew  it,  and  was  certain  it 
was  that  of  an  old  and  kind  friend,  and 
entreated  me  not  to  think  her  ungrate- 
All  if  she  oould  not  recall  my  name,  for 
her  poor  head  had  been  conftised  of  hUe. 
On  diaeovering  who  I  was,  she  oommv- 
nieated  to  me  a  brief  outline  of  her  mel* 
aneholy  story,  the  details  of  which  I 
sttbaeqneutly  heard  from  others  at  Shd- 
bume. 

Duriuff  the  previous  winter,  her  hni- 
band  had  set  out  on  foot  for  the  nearest 
town,  to  procure  some  little  neoewMriei 
for  the  house,  and  intended  to  return 
the  next  day.  The  subsequent  morning 
was  fine,  but  the  weather,  as  is  often  tht 
ease  in  this  variable  climate,  suddenly 
ohanged.  At  noon  it  began  to  snow; 
towards  eveiung  the  wind  had  risen  to 
a  gale,  and  cK>uds  of  sleet  were  sweep- 
ing over  the  desert  with  resisUess  fury. 
Onee  or  twice  she  went  to  the  door,  and 
looked  out,  but  withdrew  immediately, 
nearly  blinded  and  suffocated  by  tiie 
drifting  storm.  Her  evening  meal  wu 
prepared  for  her  husband.  The  table, 
witn  its  snow-white  cover,  stood  ready 
for  his  reception.  The  savory  stev 
simmered  on  the  hearth,  and  the  pott- 
toes  gave  out  their  steam  in  token  of 
readiness,  while  the  little  earthen  teapot 
and  unleavened  cake,  the  never-&ihng 
appendaffesof  a  settler's  meal,  wer^  ready 
to  cheer  nim  on  his  return.  "  Ah,  here 
he  is  I"  she  said,  as  the  outer  door  sud- 
denly opened,  followed  by  thick  volumes 
of  snow  that  nearly  filled  the  little  entry. 
**  No,  tliat  is  the  wind  that  has  forced 
it  open.  He  won't  be  here  to-Jiight; 
we  had  better  go  to  supper.  He  sa« 
the  coming  storm,  and  remained  in  town. 
I  often  wonder  how  he  can  foretel  the 
weather  so  well.  He  knows  when  • 
thaw,  or  a  frost,  or  a  fall  of  snow,  or  i 
tempest  is  approaching,  hours  before- 


THE  LONE  H0U8B. 


101 


)then  at  Skd- 


haad.    He  wm  too  wiie  to  try  the  Ur- 

NO  today." 

His  aMenoe  saTO  bar  no  anziat;f  what- 
ff«r ;  ibe  had  heooma  familiar  with  the 
(tormt,  and  dreaded  them  only  for 
othera  who  were  etrangen  and  unwary. 
He  had  often  been  away  before,  and 
there  was  nothing  nnnsoal  in  bis  not 
tfriying  now.  It  waa  a  proof  of  bis 
MMoity,  and  not  of  his  danger, 
^he  gale  continued  unabated  through- 
oat  the  second  day,  and  she  neither  ex- 
puetod  him  nor  prepared  for  his  recep- 
tion. The  third  day  was  calm  and 
tranquil ;  the  whirlwind  had  spent  its 
fory,  and,  having  rolled  up  its  wreathy 
pillows,  sunk  down  and  reposed  in  utter 
exhaustion.  Tho  snow-birds  came  in 
numbers  about  the  barn,  to  feed  on  the 
hayseed  of  the  stack-yard,  and  the  cattle 
were  set  at  liberty,  to  relax  their  stiff- 
ened limbs,  and  togo  to  the  spring  in  quest 
of  water.  The  affrighted  and  halfnm- 
iahed  poultry  issued  from  their  hiding- 
places,  and  clamorously  demanded  that 
attention  that  had  been  so  long  with- 
held,  while  the  ill-omened  crow  oame  at 
the  well-known  signal,  to  enforce  bis 
oUim  to  a  share  of  the  food,  as  a  house- 
less and  a  friendless  stranger.  The 
children,  too,  were  released  from  their 


prison, 


and  life  and  animation  were 


■gain  to  be  seen  around  the  Lone  House. 
As  the  mother  stood  at  tho  door,  and 
looked  abroad  upon  the  scene,  a  little 

E'  ig  bird,  the  first  harbinger  of  that 
season,  carolled  merrily  from  the 
ess  apple-tree  at  the  side  of  the  cot- 
tage. 

^  Thank  Ood  I"  she  said,  "  winter  is 
now  nearly  over,  and  its  storms  and 
trials ;  we  have  seldom  more  than  one 
very  heavy  gale  of  wind  after  that  little 
bird  comes  to  sine  us  a  song  of  spring. 
Your  father  will  m  at  home  early  to- 
day."  And  she  sent  the  oldest  girl  to 
the  snares  set  for  catching  wild  rabbits. 
"  They  will  be  all  abroad  to-day,"  she 
I  laid ;  "  see  if  there  are  any  there  for  his 
dinner." 

In  a  short  time  the  child  returned, 
I  with  two  of  these  little  animals  in  her 
hand,  and  the  table  was  again  spread  ; 
bat  he  came  not.     He  would  return, 


perhapi,  she  thought,  in  the  oven  ins ; 
for,  when  he  did  not  arrive  at  noon,  he 
seldom  reached  home  until  sunset.  Bat 
night  oame  with  its  accustomed  meal, 
and  his  place  was  still  vacant.  To-mor> 
row  would  be  post-day;  ho  had  very 
properly  waited,  she  said,  to  coino  with 
Ainslow.  Sho  was  glad  of  it,  for  ho  was 
lame,  the  walking  was  heavy,  and  ho 
had  a  pack  to  carr^.  Yes,  they  would 
both  be  here  early  in  the  day.  Doubt, 
fear,  or  misciving,  novor  entered  her 
mind.  She  had  groat  confidence  in  his 
judgment ;  whatever  he  decided  on  was 
right,  and  it  was  prudent  and  much 
more  agreeable  for  him  to  travel  in 
company  with  the  postman,  who  had  all 
the  news,  and  was  a  pleasant  and  oblig- 
ing man.  The  next  day  brought  again 
and  again  merry  faces  to  tho  door,  to 
look  over  the  dreary  bog,  and  oatoh  the 
first  glimpse  of  tho  sleigh. 

At  last,  a  shout  proclaimed  its  ap- 
proach, and  the  whole  group  were  as- 
sembled to  see  the  little  dark  spook  that 
was  moving  forward  in  the  distance,  and 
gradually  enlarging  into  a  distinct  form. 
It  was  anxiously  watched,  but  was  slow 
in  ooming,  as  every  thing  in  life  is  that 
is  impatiently  waited  for. 

The  arrival  of  the  postman  was  an 
important  event  at  this  little  habitation. 
He  was  a  part  of  that  world  on  either 
side  of  them,  of  which  they  had  heard 
and  formed  vague  oonoeptions,  but  which 
they  bad  never  seen.  Their  father's 
return,  too,  was  an  afiair  of  great  inter- 
est. He  did  not  very  frequently  leave 
home;  and,  when  he  did,  he  always 
brought  back  some  little  present  to 
the  mother  or  her  children,  from  some 
kind  persons,  whom  their  attentions  and 
peculiar  situation  and  character  had 
converted  from  strangers  into  friends. 
They  were  little  events,  to  be  sure ;  but 
these  little  incidents  constitute  ''the 
short  and  simple  annals  of  the  poor." 
They  are  all  that  occur  to  diversity  the 
monotony  of  their  secluded  life.  The 
postman  came,  but  he  bad  no  companion. 
He  drove  his  sleigh  to  the  opposite  side 
of  the  road,  where  the  barn  stood,  and, 
leaving  it  there,  be  proceeded  to  the 
house.    He  was  mot  by  Mrs.  Lent,  who 


ItM      '! 


f0l 


f  ■    "• 


«», 


'f   ■% 


THE  OLD   .'UDOE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


•hook  him  cordially  by  the  hand,  and 
eaid  that  nhe  had  expected  her  husband 
with  him,  but  supposed  he  was  not 
ready  to  come. 

The  dinner,  however,  was  now  wait- 
ing, and  she  pressed  him  to  go  in  and 
partake  with  the  family  of  their  humble 
meal.  »^hhj.?^. 

"  Have  you  seen  John  ?" 

The  truth  had  now  to  be  told,  which 
Ainslow  did  in  the  kindest  and  most 
considerate  manner.  After  preparing 
her  mind  for  the  reception  of  very  bad 
news,  he  proceeded  to  inform  her,  that 
as  he  crossed  the  wooden  bridge,  at  the 
black  brook  in  the  bog,  he  observed 
John  Lent  sitting  on  the  floor,  with  his 
back  resting  against  the  rail,  a  stiffened 
and  frozen  corpse.  He  had  evidently 
been  overpowered  by  the  storm,  which, 
coming  from  the  eastward,  blew  full  in 
his  face,  depriving  him  at  once  of  his 
breath  and  his  strength ;  and,  having 
sat  down  ezhaubted  to  rest  his  wearied 
limbs,  he  had  sunk  into  that  fatal  sleep 
in  which  the  soul,  without  a  struggle  or 
a  sigh,  passes  into  another  and  a  better 
world.  He  added,  that  he  had  taken 
him  up  in  his  arms,  and  lifted  him  into 
the  sleigh,  where  he  now  was  ;  and  that 
he  had  covered  him  with  a  rug,  and 
driven  to  the  barn,  that  she  might  not 
be  too  suddenly  shocked  by  the  awful 
sight  of  the  dead  body  ;  and  concluded 
with  those  consolatory  remarks  which, 
though  unheard  or  unheeded,  are  usual- 
ly addressed  to  those  who  are  smitten 
down  by  sudden  affliction. 

Before  he  had  finished  his  narrative, 
a  loud,  long-continued,  and  piercing  cry 
of  distress  arose  from  the  sleigh  that 
thrilled  the  whole  group,  and  brought 
them  instantly  to  the  door.  The  poor 
man's  faithful  and  affectionate  dog  had 
disuovered  his  master,  and  the  strong 
instinct  of  the  animal  revealed  to  him 
at  once  that  he  would  never  more  hear 
that  voice  of  kindness  and  fellowship 
that  had  cheered  him  from  day  to  day, 
or  receive  his  food  from  that  hand  which 
had  always  been  extended  to  feed  or  to 
fondle  him.  The  postman  then  drove 
the  sleigh  to  the  door,  lifted  out  the 
lifeless  body,  which  had  been  frozen  in 


its  sitting  attitude,  and,  placing  it  in  th« 
same  position  on  a  large  chest,  in  a  cor- 
ner of  the  strangers'  room,  rested  its 
back  against  the  wall.  It  looked  like 
a  man  not  dead,  but  sleeping.  He  then 
withdrew  the  family  into  tbeir  sitting- 
room,  and,  having  placed  some  oats  in 
a  bucket  before  his  horse,  who  ate  them 
as  he  stood  in  his  harness,  he  occupied 
the  few  remaining  minutes  of  his  time  in 
endeavoring,  as  he  best  could,  to  condole 
with  and  comfort  the  poor  widow  and  her 
helpless  family.  He  was  astonished  at 
her  fortitude.  Her  agony,  it  was  evi- 
dent, was  almost  insupportable,  but  she 
gave  no  vent  to  violent  and  unavailing 
lamentations.  He  was  not  the  first,  ai 
he  will  be  by  no  means  the  last,  to  ad- 
mire this  quality  of  the  female  mind 
when  roused  by  great  events  to  deep 
thought  and  cool  and  deliberate  action. 
Weak,  timid,  and  powerless  as  womsi 
is,  in  the  minor  troubles  and  trials  of 
life,  when  real  danger  and  great  afflic- 
tions are  to  be  encountered,  she  rises 
superior  to  fear,  calls  in  the  aid  of  a 
iudgment  always  good,  when  confident- 
ly relied  on,  and  a  moral  courage  sur- 
passing that  of  man,  because  its  foun- 
dations are  not  built  on  the  delusive 
laws  of  honor,  but  deeply  laid  in  con- 
scious innocence,  in  a  strong  sense  of 
the  obligations  of  duty,  and  a  pious  and 
firm  reliance  on  the  might  and  goodness 
of  God.  Thus  supported  and  strength- 
ened, she  sustains  burdens  di8propo^ 
tioned  to  her  sex,  and  successfully  re- 
sists afflictions  that  overpower  the  vigor 
and  appal  the  courage  of  man. 

The  poor  widow  heard  him  calmly 
and  patiently,  though  words  seemed  to 
fail  her  when  thanking  him  for  his  kind- 
ness. This  portentous  silence,  however, 
deceived  him.  There  are  calamities  too 
heavy  to  be  borne,  and  misfortunes  may 
overpower  by  surprise,  that  could  lie 
successfully  resisted  if  their  advent 
were  knoWn.  Although  the  blow  did 
not  prostrate  this  miserable  woman,  it 
stunned  her  into  insensibility.  Thought 
and  memory  seemed  suspended.  In* 
capable  of  action  herself,  she  was  passive 
in  the  hands  of  her  children.  She  bad 
but  one  confused  and  indistinct  idoa 


that  remai 
band  was  a 
adjoining  i 
and  unbrol 
When  her 
daughter, 


say, 


GaU 


for  him ;" 
into  his  ro( 
prudent  to 
would  take  I 
at  her,  won 
less,    unpr 
world,  theii 
and  the  in 
red  to  thei: 
of  us?     D( 
one  human 
laid  his  co! 
other,  whoi 
ed  for  his 
Toar  them  i 
them  their 
danger.     0 
dnstcred  ai 
chair  and  p 
join  them, 
not  seen)  U 
then  tried, 
fill  eyes,  a 
had  always 
were  now  m 
ed  at  the 
their  own. 
heart  vibra 
sio,  and  sh 
awaking  frc 
ing,  and  sci 
tains  of  h 
flood  of  tea 
children, 
day  of  the 
son  Lad  b( 
postman  le 
agony  at  th 
her  stupor 
kissed  and 
to  bed  to  w< 
griefs  and  ^ 
who  has  gri 
tection  to  tl 
In  the  m 
posed  but 
revolved  in 


Being  it  in  th« 
heat,  in  a  cor- 
im,  rested  its 
t  looked  like 
ug.     He  then 
their  sitting- 
some  oats  in 
who  ate  them 
I,  he  occupied 
I  of  his  time  in 
iild,  to  condole 
widow  and  her 
astonished  at 
y,  it  was  eyi- 
rtable,  but  she 
nd  unavailing 
)t  the  first,  ai 
le  last,  to  ad- 
female  mind 
cents  to  deep 
iberatc  action, 
ess  as  womai 
and  trials  of 
id  great  afflic- 
sred,  she  rises 
1  the  aid  of  a 
hen  coDfiden^ 
1  courage  sur- 
ause  its  foun- 
the  delusive 
laid  in  con- 
rong  sense  of 
dd  a  pious  and 
t  and  goodness 
and  strength- 
ens di8propo^ 
luccessfuUy  re- 
tower  the  vigor 
man. 

,  him  calmly 
rds  seemed  to 
m  for  his  kind- 
ence,  however, 
I  calamities  too 
isfortunes  may 
that  could  be 
their  advent 
the  blow  did 
iblo  woman,  it 
lity.  Thought 
tended.  ID' 
the  was  passive 
ren.  She  had 
ndistinot  idoa 


THE  LONE  HOUSE. 


10b 


that  remained.  She  thought  her  hus- 
band was  at  home,  and  asleep  in  the 
adjoining  room,  but  his  long  slumber 
and  unbroken  silence  did  not  alarm  her. 
When  her  meals  were  prepared  by  her 
daughter,  she  would  look  around  and 
gay,  "  Gall  your  father — tell  him  we  wait 
for  him ;"  or,  at  night,  she  would  look 
into  his  room  and  admonish  him  it  was 
prudent  to  wake  up  and  go  to  bed,  or  he 
would  take  cold.  The  poor  children  gazed 
at  her,  wondered,  and  shed  tears.  Help- 
less, unprotected,  and  alone  in  the 
world,  their  little  hearts  failed  them ; 
and  the  inquiry  often  and  often  occur- 
red to  their  minds.  What  is  to  become 
of  us  ?  Death,  that  sat,  embodied  in 
one  human  form  in  that  house,  and  had 
laid  his  cold,  benumbing  band  on  an- 
other, whom  he  appeared  to  have  mark- 
ed for  his  victim,  seemed  ready  to  de- 
vour them  all.  Silence  first  disclosed  to 
them  their  solitude,  and  solitude  their 
danger.  On  the  third  evening,  they 
doBtcred  as  usual  round  their  mother's 
chair  and  prayed,  but  she  was  unable  to 
join  them.  She  looked  at  them,  but  did 
not  seem  to  comprehend  them.  They 
then  tried,  with  faltering  lips  and  tear- 
ful eyes,  a  verse  of  a  hymn,  one  that  she 
had  always  been  fond  of ;  but  two  voices 
were  now  wanting,  and  they  were  alarm- 
ed at  the  feeble  and  plaintiff  sound  of 
their  own.  The  chords  of  the  widow's 
heart  vibrated  at  the  sound  of  the  mu- 
and  she  looked  about  her  as 


810, 


one 


awaking  from  slumber.  Thought,  feel- 
ing, and  sensibility  returned ;  the  foun- 
tains of  her  affections  opened,  and  a 
flood  of  tears  mingled  with  those  of  her 
children.  She  inquired  of  them  the 
day  of  the  week,  and  whether  any  per- 
son had  been  at  the  house  since  the 
postman  left  it,  wrung  her  hands  in 
agony  at  the  thoughts  of  the  length  of 
her  stupor,  and,  having  affectionately 
kissed  and  blessed  her  little  ones,  went 
to  bed  to  weep  unseen,  and  pour  out  her 
griefs  and  petitions  undisturbed  to  Him 
who  has  graciously  promised  His  pro- 
tection to  the  widow  and*  the  orphan. 

In  the  morning,  she  rose  more  com- 
posed but  sadly  changed.  Years  had 
revolved  in  that  night,  and  left  their 


tracks  and  fiirrowa  on  her  faded  cheek ; 
and  the  depth,  and  strength,  and  acute- 
ness  of  her  mental  sufferings  had  render- 
ed her  hair  as  white  as  the  snow  wreath 
th^t  death  had  folded  round  her  hus- 
band as  a  winding-sheet.  The  struggle 
had  been  violent,  but  successful.  She 
was  afflicted,  but  not  subdued — bereft, 
but  not  destitute.  She  was  sensible  of 
her  situation,  and  willing  to  submit  with 
humble  resignation ;  aware  of  her  du- 
ties, and  ready  to  undertake  them.  She 
stood  between  the  living  and  the  dead. 
A  fearful  debt  was  to  be  discharged  to 
the  one,  subsistence  and  comfort  were 
due  to  the  other.  She  commenced  the 
morning  with  prayer'from  a  church  for- 
mulary that  had  been  given  her  by  a 
travelling  missionary,  and  then  went 
about  her  usual  duties.  As  she  sat  by 
ber  fireside  in  the  evening,  she  revolved 
in  her  mind  the  new  sphere  in  which 
she  was  placed.  As  any  doubt  or  diffi- 
culty suggested  itself,  her  loss  became 
more  and  more  apparent.  How  was  her 
husband  to  be  buried!  The  ground 
was  frozen  to  the  depth  of  three  feet, 
and  she  was  unable  to  dig  a  grave. 
She  dare  not  go  to  the  next  neighbor's, 
a  distance  of  seven  miles,  for  she  could 
not  leave  her  children.  She  could  not 
send  her  eldest  daughter,  for  she  did 
not  know  the  way ;  and  she,  too,  might 
be  lost.  She  must  wait  for  the  post- 
man ;  he  would  arrive  in  three  days, 
and  would  assist  her.  If  not,  God 
would  send  relief  when  least  expected. 
Every  thing,  however,  about  her,  every 
thing  she  had  to  do,  and  every  thing  she 
required,  mixed  itself  in  some  way  with 
recollections  of  him  she  mourned,  and 
reminded  her  of  some  habit,  word,  or  act 
of  his.  Even  the  weather  now  made 
her  shudder.  The  storm,  like  a  giant 
refreshed  with  sleep,  arose  again  in  all 
its  might,  and  swept  across  the  desert 
with  such  unbroken  force  that  the  snow 
appeared  rather  like  a  moving  mass  of 
drift  than  distinct  and  separate  flakes. 
It  was  just  such  an  evening  as  when  her 
husband  perished. 

She  shuddered  and  drew  her  children 
nearer  to  her  on  the  hearth.  Thoy  had 
always  loved  each  other,  lut  their  affeo- 


^^J, 


^1a^ 


M 


'f         ^* 


106 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  i  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


tion  was  greatly  increased  now,  for  they 
knew  that  death  was  a  reality.  They 
had  Seen  it,  and  felt  its  eflfeots.  It  bad 
lessened  their  number  onoe — it  could  do 
so  again.  They  had  been  told  they 
were  mortal,  now  they  knew  it  It  was 
an  awful  disclosure  to  them,  and  ^et 
what  was  death?  It  was  not  annihila- 
tion, for  the  body  remained.  That 
which  had  inhabited  and  animated  it 
was  incorporeal,  and  had  departed  un- 
seen. It  was  that  unknown,  invisible,  and 
mysterious  spirit,  they  had  unconscious- 
ly loved,  for  the  corpse  shocked  and 
terrified  them.  They  had  been  instruct- 
ed that  there  was  a  soul  that  survived 
the  body,  but  they  could  not  comprehend 
it.  They  now  saw  and  shuddered  at 
the  difference  between  the  living  and  the 
dead.  It  was  palnable,  but  still  it  was 
not  intelligible.  Poor  little  innocents  I 
it  was  their  first  practical  lesson  in  mor- 
tality, and  it  was  engraved  on  their 
aching  hearts  too  deeply  ever  to  be  for- 
gotten. Their  affection  now  became 
more  intense  and  far  more  tender,  for  soli- 
citude had  blended  with  it  and  softened 
it.  Yes,  their  little  circle  was  stronger 
for  having  its  circumference  reduced  ; 
it  could  bear  more  pressure  than  be- 
fore, if  the  burden  were  unhappily  in- 
creased. 

The  time  for  rest  had  now  approach- 
ed, and  the  widow  was  weak  and  unwell. 
The  thought  of  her  unburied  husband 
oppressed  her.  The  presence  of  death, 
too,  in  the  house,  for  so  long  a  time,  was 
a  heavy  load  for  her  neryes ;  and,  un- 
able to  sustain  her  feelings  and  her  re- 
flections any  longer,  she  resorted  to  her 
evening  prayers  with  her  little  family, 
and  added  to  the  prescribed  forma  short 
and  simple  petition  of  her  own.  Her 
voice  was  almost  inaudible  amid  the 
din  and  roar  of  the  tempest,  to  those 
around  her;  but  it  penetrated  far  above 
the  elements  and  reached  the  throne  of 
mercy  to  which  it  was  addressed. 

Relieved,  refreshed,  and  strengthened 
by  this  devotional  exercise,  they  gather- 
ed again  around  the  hearth  ere  the  fire 
was  secured  for  the  night,  and  were  en- 
nged  in  some  little  consultation  about 
tne  daily  duties  that  were  to  be  assigned 


to  each,  when  they  were  aroused  by  i 
loud  and  violent  knocking  at  the  door. 
The  mother  arose  and  opened  it  with  i 

{lalpitating  heart.  Three  stranse,  wild- 
coking,  haggard  men,  entreated  admit- 
tance for  God's  sake,  for  they  were  fam- 
ished, and  nearly  chilled  to  death  with 
the  cold.  What  a  contrast  for  tbat 
hitherto  quiet  and  noiseless  household! 
There  were  these  men  stamping  on  the 
floor,  shaking  off  the  snow  from  their 
clothes,  beating  their  hands  together, 
throwing  down  their  packs,  talking 
loudly,  and  all  speaking  at  once — all 
calling  for  food,  all  demanding  more  fire, 
and  all  rejoicing  in  their  shelter  and 
safety.  The  children  huddled  together 
in  affright,  in  the  corner  of  the  room, 
and  the  poor  mother  trimmed  her  lamp, 
rebuilt  her  fire,  and  trembled  as  she  re- 
flected that  she  was  alone  and  unpro- 
tected. Who  are  these  men  ?  she  asked 
herself  Houseless  in  the  storm,  her 
heart  replied,  "  Would  to  Heaven  there 
had  been  ^ch  a  shelter  for  my  poor  John 
Lent  I  We  need  not  fear,  for  Ood  and 
our  poverty  are  our  protection."  She 
told  them  they  were  in  the  house  of 
death — that  her  husband  lay  dead,  and, 
for  want  of  assistance,  unburied  in  the 
next  room  ;  but  that  all  that  could  be 
done  for  them  she  would  do,  though  at 
such  a  time,  and  in  such  a  place,  that 
all,  of  course,  would  be  but  very  little. 
She  advised  them  to  keep  at  a  distance 
from  the  fire ;  and,  having  ascertained 
that  they  were  not  frost*bitten,  set 
about  getting  them  some  refreshment. 

While  at  work  she  heard  all  that  the; 
had  to  say  to  each  other  ;  and,  with  the 
quickness  of  observation  peculiar  to  the 
natives  of  this  country,  soon  perceived 
they  were  not  equals — that  one  of  them 
spoke  with  a  voice  of  authority  ;  tbat 
another  called  him.  Sir ;  and  the  third 
only  answered  when  he  was  spoken 
to,  and  that  all  three  were  sailora 
They  had  a  fearful  tale  of  trouble  and 
of  death,  to  which  frequent  allusioD 
was  made.  They  were  the  captain, 
mate,  and  steward  of  a  ship  that  had 
been  wrecked  that  day  on  the  coast  bo 
yond  the  hilly  land  in  front  of  the  cot- 
tage, and  were  the  sole  survivors  of  ten, 


who,  on  tl 

their  oonrsi 

fidence  anc 

hastily  prej 

patched.     J 

she  trembl 

lone  womai 

and  she  he 

flection  sue 

possible  tn 

her  loss  or  < 

A  fresh 

understand 

scribe  the 

in  the  midd 

the  front  c 

small  entrj 

family  sittii 

they  were 

which  were 

left,  three  ro 

and  devoted 

strangers. 

tponding  to 

the  frozen  b 

on  a  chest,  i 

have  before 

prepare  tbei 

paas  througli 

bad  not  vent 

ed  from  her 

and  distress 

stated  to  th 

at  once  ordei 

make  the  rec 

master  and  : 

rided  for  the 

given  to  the 

hearth,  befor 

In  the  m 

to  dig  a  grav 

the  other  tw 

qoisite  tools, 

which  he  waf 

ty,  from  the 

little  pony  v 

dge,  and  i 

the  family  ai 

esting-place, 

rice  of  the  cl 

Boased  by  th 

felt  sobs  of  t 

ttions  of  the 

s  of  the  fi 


xw 


aroused  by  i 

I  at  the  door, 
ned  it  with  i 
Btranee,  wild- 
reated  admit 
iey  were  fam- 
to  death  with 
rast  for  that 
38  household! 
imping  on  the 
ow  from  their 
nds  together, 
acks,    talking 
at  once — &U 
ding  more  fire, 
r  shelter  and 
Idled  together 
r  of  the  room, 
mod  her  lamp, 
bled  as  she  re- 
18  and  unpro- 
len  ?  she  asked 
be  storm,  her 
)  Heaven  there 
r  my  poor  John 
r,  for  Ood  and 
tection."    She 
the  house  of 
lay  dead,  and, 
nburied  in  the 
that  could  be 
do,  though  at 
a  place,  that 
ut  very  little. 
at  a  distance 
ig  ascertained 
ost-bitten,   set 
efreshment. 
d  all  that  the; 
and,  with  the 
>eouliar  to  the 
OOD  perceived 
at  one  of  them 
uthority  ;  that 
and  the  third 
was   spoken 
were  Bailora 
)f  trouble  and 
|[uent   allusion 
the  captain, 
ship  that  had 
the  coast  bo 
mt  of  the  cot- 
irrivora  of  ten, 


THE  LONE  HOUSE. 


lot 


who,  on  that  morning,  were  pursuing 
their  course  on  the  ocean  in  perfect  con- 
fidence and  safety.  A  heartv  meal  was 
hastily  prepared,  and  more  hastily  dis- 
patched. Liquor  was  then  asked  for ; 
she  trembled  and  obeyed.  She  was  a 
lone  woman,  it  was  a  dangerous  thing, 
and  she  hesitated ;  but  a  moment's  re- 
flection Buegested  to  her  that  it  was  im* 
possible  that  they  could  either  forget 
her  loss  or  their  own. 

A  fresh  difficulty  now  occurred,  to 
understand  which  it  is  necessary  to  de- 
scribe the  house.  The  chimney  s1v>od 
in  the  middle  of  the  building,  opposite 
the  front  door,  which  opened  into  a 
small  entry.  On  the  right,  was  the 
&mily  sitting-room,  or  kitchen,  where 
they  were  now  assembled,  adjoining 
which  were  two  bed-rooms.  On  the 
left,  three  rooms  were  similarly  arranged, 
and  deyoted  to  the  accommodation  of 
strangers.  In  the  apartment  oorre- 
I  tponding  to  the  one  they  were  in,  was 
the  frozen  body  of  her  husband,  resting 
on  a  chest,  in  a  sitting  attitude,  as  I 
have  before  desoribod.  In  order  to 
prepare  their  beds,  it  was  necessary  to 
pass  through  that  room,  into  which  she 
had  not  ventured  since  she  had  recover- 
ed from  her  stupor.  She  was  perplexed 
and  distressed,  but,  at  last,  having 
stated  to  the  captain  her  difficulty,  he 
at  once  ordered  the  steward  to  go  and 
I  make  the  requisite  arrangements.  The 
master  and  mate  having  been  thus  pro* 
rided  for  the  night,  some  blankets  were 
I  given  to  the  steward,  who  slept  on  the 
[hearth,  before  the  kitchen  fire. 

In  the  morning,  the  latter  was  sent 
Itodig  a  grave  for  poor  John  Lent,  while 
Ithe  other  two,  havine  procured  the  re- 
Iquisite  tools,  made  him  a  coffin,  into 
Iwhich  he  was  placed  with  great  difficul- 
jty,  from  the  rigidity  of  his  limbs.  The 
llittle  pony  was  then  harnessed  to  the 
dge,  and  the  body  yrafi  followed  by 
Ithe  family  and  their  guests  to  its  last 
resting-place.  The  beautiful  burial  ser- 
Ivioe  of  the  church  was  read  over  the  de^- 
jveased  by  the  captain,  amid  the  heart- 
jfelt  sobs  of  the  widow,  the  loud  lamen- 
ttions  of  the  children,  and  the  generous 
«tf8  of  the  sailors.     The  scene  waf*  o  |e 


that  was  deeply  felt  by  all  present 
There  was  a  community  of  suffering,  a 
similarity  of  situation,  and  a  sympathy 
among  them  all,  that  for  the  time  made 
them  forget  they  were  strangers,  and 
feel  towards  each  other  like  members  of 
one  family.  The  mariners  had  twice 
narrowly  escaped  death  themselves: 
first,  from  shipwreOk,  and  then  from  the 
intensity  of  uie  weather;  while  seven 
of  their  comrades  had  been  swept  into 
eternity  before  their  eyes.  The  poor 
widow,  in  losing  John  Lent,  appeared 
to  have  lost  every  thing — her  mend, 
her  support,  her  companion,  and  pro- 
tector; the  husband  of  her  heart,  the 
father  of  her  children.  She  had  afforded 
them  food,  shelter,  and  a  home.  They 
bad  aided  her  in  a  most  trying  moment 
with  their  personal  assistance,  and  com- 
forted her  with  their  sympathy  and  kind* 
ness. 

The  next  morning,  her  guests  visited 
the  seashore,  in  order  to  ascertain  whe- 
t}ier  any  portion  of  the  cargo  of  their 
vessel  could  be  saved.  When  they  ar* 
rived  at  the  scene  of  their  disaster,  they 
found  that  the  vessel  was  gone ;  she  had 
either  fallen  off  from  the  precipitous 
cliff  upon  which  she  had  been  thrown 
by  the  violence  of  the  sea,  or  been  with* 
drawn  by  the  refiux  of  the  mountain 
waves,  and  had  sunk  into  the  deep 
water,  where  her  masts  could  just  now 
be  discerned  under  its  clear  and  un- 
troubled surface.  The  cabin,  which  had 
been  built  upon  the  deck,  had  been 
broken  to  pieces,  and  fragments  of  it 
were  to  be  seen  scattered  about  on  the 
snow.  Some  few  barrels  and  boxes 
from  the  steward's  pantry  had  been 
thrown  on  shore,  containing  stores  of 
various  kinds,  and  also  the  captain's 
hammock  and  bedding.  These  were 
divided  into  two  small  lots,  of  equal 
weight,  and  constituted  two  sleigh  loads, 
for  the  travelling  was  too  heavy  to  per- 
mit them  all  to  be  carried  at  once.  The 
captain  presented  them,  together  with  a 
purse  of  ten  sovereigns,  to  the  poor 
widow,  as  a  token  of  his  gratitude  for 
her  kindness  and  sympathy  for  his  dis- 
tress. She  was  also  recommended  to 
ex  amine  the  shore  fiom  time  to  time* 


;.t  ^r 


#'' 


••-*  ! 


•'  f^i » 


^# 


:K.i; 


Ft» 


r.^ 


I'  li 


i08 


TME  OLD   JUDGE;   OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


after  violent  gales  of  winds,  as  many 
loose  articles  would  no  doubt  hereafter 
float  to  the  surface;  and  these,  by  a 
written  authority,  he  empowered  her  to 
apply  to  her  own  use. 

On  the  succeeding  morning,  the  post- 
man returned  with  his  mail,  and  fur- 
nished a  oonyeyance  for  the  steward. 
The  captain  and  mate  followed,  under 
his  guidance,  with  Mrs.  Lent's  little 
pony  and  sledge.  They  now  took  an 
affectionate  leave  of  each  other,  with 
mutual  thanks  and  benedictions,  and 
the  widow  and  her  family  were  again 
left  to  their  sorrows  and  their  labors. 
From  that  day,  she  said,  an  unseen  hand 
had  upheld  her,  fed  her,  and  protected 
her,  and  that  hand  was  the  hand  of  the 
good  and  merciful  God  of  the  widow 
and  the  orphan.  There  were  times,  she 
added,  when  the  wounds  of  her  heart 
would  burst  open  and  bleed  afresh ;  but 
she  had  been  told  the  affections  required 
that  relief,  and  that  Nature  had  wisely 
provided  it,  to  prevent  a  worse  issue. 
She  informed  me  that  she  often  saw  her 
husband  of  late.  When  sitting  by  her 
solitary  lamp,  after  her  children  had 
fiillen  asleep,  she  frequently  perceived 
him  looking  in  at  the  window  upon  her. 
She  would  sometimes  rise  and  so  there, 
with  a  view  of  conversing  with  him,  but 
he  always  withdrew,  as  if  he  was  not 
permitted  to  have  an  interview  with 
her.  She  said  she  was  not  afraid  to 
meet  him ;  why  should  she  be  1  He 
who  had  loved  her  in  life  would  not 
harm  her  in  death.  As  soon  as  she 
returned  to  her  seat,  he  would  again  re- 
sume his  place  at  the  window,  and  watch 
over  her  for  hours  together.  She  had 
mentioned  the  circumstance  to  the  cler- 
gyman, who  had  charged  her  to  keep 


her  secret,  and  espeoially  from  her  chil- 
dren, whose  young  and  weak  nerves  it 
might  terrify.  He  had  endeavored  to 
persuade  her  it  was  the  reflexion  of  her 
own  fiioe  in  the  glass ;  that  it  was  a 
natural  effect,  and  by  no  means  an  un- 
usual occurrence.  But  no  one,  she 
added,  knew  so  well  as  those  who  saw 
with  their  own  eyes.  It  was  difficult, 
perhaps,  for  others,  who  had  not  been 
so  favored  and  protected,  to  believe  it, 
but  it  was,  nevertheless,  strictly  true ; 
and  was  a  great  comfort  to  her  to  think 
that  his  care  and  his  love  existed  for  her 
beyond  the  grave. 

She  said  many  people  had  advised 
her  to  leave  thai  place,  as  too  insecure 
and  inconvenient  for  a  helpless  woman; 
but  God  had  never  failed  them.  She 
had  never  known  want,  or  been  visited 
by  illness,  while  she  and  her  ohildreo 
had  been  fed  in  the  wilderness,  like  the 
chosen  people  of  the  Lord.  He  had 
raised  her  up  a  host  of  friends,  whose 
hearts  He  had  touched  with  kindneu 
for  her,  and  whose  hands  He  had  used 
as  the  instruments  of  His  mercy  and 
bounty.  It  would  be  ungrateful  and 
distrustful  in  her  to  leave  a  place  He 
had  selected  for  her,  and  He  might  pe^ 
haps  turn  away  His  countenance  in  an- 
ger, and  abandon  her  in  her  old  age  to 
poverty  and  want  And,  besides,  she 
said,  there  is  my  old  man ;  his  viatti 
now  .are  dearer  to  me  than  ever ;  he 
was  once  my  companion — he  is  now  mi  l 
guardian  angel.  I  cannot  and  I  will 
not  forsake  him  while  I  live  ;  and  whea 
it  is  God's  will  that  I  depart  hence,  I 
hope  to  be  laid  beside  him,  who,  alive 
or  dead,  has  never  suffered  this  pool 
dwelling  to  be  to  me  a  "  Lone  House.' 


^1     t 


from  herohil- 
reak  nerres  it 
endeavored  to 
eflexiou  of  her 
that  it  was  a 
means  an  vn- 
no  one,  she 
those  who  saw 
t  was  difficult, 
had  not  been 
,  to  believe  it, 
,  strictly  true ; 
to  her  to  think 
existed  for  her 

B  had  advised 
ts  too  inseoon 
slpless  woman; 
Bd  them.    She 
tr  been  visited 
1  her  children 
erness,  like  the 
lOrd.     He  had 
friends,  whose 
with  kindness 
8  He  had  used 
lis  mercy  and 
angratfful  and 
ave  a  place  H« 
[  He  might  pe^ 
ntenance  in  an- 
I  her  old  age  to 
id,  besides,  she 
nan ;  his  visit) 
than  ever;  he 
— ho  is  now  mi 
inot  and  I  wiU 
live ;  and  when 
depart  hence,! 
him,  who,  alive 
Sered  this  poot 
^'  Lone  House.' 


TUSf  • 


THE  KEEPINGROOM  OF  AN  INN. 


No.  L— JUDGE  BELEB'S  QHOST. 


I   1.    ^,V'  '"^  '  'ii 


.      'W.-T: 


:r^y 


■■\)i  \       ''    V:W. 


The  more  I  see  of  Nova  Scotia,  the 
more  I  appreciate  the  soundness  of  the 
connsel  given  me  by  my  friend  Barclay, 
who  recommended  me,  instead  of  com- 
mencing a  continuous  tour  of  the  pro- 
Tinoes,  to  select  some  one  colony,  live  in 
it  for  the  space  of  a  year  at  least,  and 
stndy  the  people,  their  habits  and  insti- 
tutions, and  then  resume  my  travels. 
"  The  store  of  knowledge  thus  acquired," 
he  said,  "  would  enable  me  to  compre- 
hend many  things  afterwards  which 
would  otherwise  appear  unintelligible." 
I  am  now  daily  reaping  the  advantage 
of  this  judicious  advice.  Neither  the 
Americans  nor  the  provincials,  who  differ 
from  each  other  nearly  aa  much  as  from 
the  English,  are  so  easily  understood 
ss  the  vanity  of  a  traveller  would  lead 
him  to  suppose.  To  be  known,  they 
must  be  studied ;  and  to  study  them 
properly  requires  time  and  the  aid  of 
resident  friends.  We  have  lately  been 
spending  a  fortnight  at  Halifax,  amid 
the  festivities  and  gaieties  of  that  hos- 
pitable town. 

The  last  three  days  previous  to  our 
departure  were  marked  by  intense  cold. 
The  harbor  smoked  like  a  basin  of  boil- 
ing water  (the  steam  of  which,  is  not 
inaptly  called  the  Barber),  and  then 
froie  into  a  mass  of  ice  of  great  depth 
and  solidity.  The  streets  were  almost 
deserted,  aud  the  few  persoaa  who  were 
to  be  seen  upon  them  hurried  to  and  fro 
M  if  unable  to  withstand  the  severity 
of  the  cold.  The  snow  sounded  hard 
and  crisp  under  their  feet,  and  the  nails 
of  the  wooden  houses  yielding  to  the 
sudden  contraction  occasioned  by  the 
frost,  separated  with  a  noise  not  unlike 
the  report  of  pistols.     Small  and  almost 


impalpable  crystalline  particles  of  snow 
floated  in  the  air  like  down.  The  west- 
em  sky  assumed  a  light,  reddish  color, 
resci.  ^)ling  that  of  a  summer's  sunset; 
and  the  Dartmouth  hills  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  harbor,  and  all  distant  ob- 
jects, appeared,  not  only  more  distinctly 
visible,  but  very  much  nearer  than  usual. 
Sounds  underwent  a  similar  change,  and 
became  more  audible  and  more  distin- 
guishable. The  heated  air  of  our  room, 
when  it  came  in  contact  with  the  glass 
of  the  window,  froze  into  beautiful,  trans- 
parent silvery  coatings,  exhibiting  in  the 
delicate  texture  of  their  brilliant  tracery 
every  imaginable  form  of  landscape, 
figures,  trees,  and  variegated  patterns, 
like  exquisite  embroidery.  The  beauty 
of  this  partial  incrustation  of  the  glass 
no  language  can  describe,  and  I  confess 
to  having  spent  much  time  in  the  child- 
ish amusement  of  studying  aud  admiring 
the  infinite  variety  of  shapes  it  present- 
ed. Our  dinner,  though  colder  than 
was  agreeable,  smoked  as  if  it  were  still 
undergoing  the  process  of  cooking.  The 
strong,  clear,  blazing  fire  appeared  to 
give  out  no  heat,  and  our  visible  breaths 
painfully  reminded  us  that  the  frost 
had  penetrated  every  where  but  into  our 
lungs.  Tho  following  day  the  weather 
suddenly  relaxed  (for  it  is  said  that  ex- 
treme heat  or  cold  seldom  continues  in 
this  country  beyond  seventy  hours).  Its 
last  effort  and  whole  streogth  were  ex- 
pended during  the  night  in  a  white 
frost,  which,  under  the  rays  of  a  clear 
and  unclouded  sun,  illumined  and  beau- 
tified every  object  covered  with  its  white 
and  brilliant  mantle.  By  ten  o'clock 
the  magical  transparencies  had  disap- 
peared from  the  windows.     Largo,  clear 


:t    "» 


v« 


ilO 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLON V. 


% 


drops  of  water  trickled  from  the  roof, 
and,  as  if  unwilling  to  quit  a  bed  on 
which  they  had  so  long  reposed,  clung 
with  tenacity  to  the  eayea,  and  con- 
gealed again  in  the  form  of  long  and 
pendent  icicles.  About  noon,  a  shower 
of  tears  preceded  their  ineyitable  fall, 
and  gave  warning  of  an  approaching 
thaw.  The  wind,  which  had  blown 
steadily,  but  very  moderately,  from  the 
north-west  for  several  days,  gradually 
diminished  until  it  ceased  altogether. 
A  few  long-drawn  sighs  and  audible 
breathings  indicated  the  waking  up  and 
subsequent  approach  of  a  southerly  gale. 
Meanwhile  the  soft  and  balmy  air,  and 
the  delicious  weather  that  generally  in- 
tervenes between  the  departure  and 
arrival  of  these  two  contending  winds, 
had  tempted  the  whole  population  of  the 
city  to  be  abroad.  The  Tandem  Club 
and  the  four-in-hands  of  the  garrison 
were  out ;  and  the  double  and  single 
sleighs  of  the  townsmen,  enveloped,  as 
well  as  their  inmates,  with  furs,  and 
their  horses  decorated  with  bells  fanci- 
fully arranged,  and  many-colored  ro- 
settes, enlivened  the  streets ;  while 
gaily  dressed  people  on  foot,  and  nume- 
rous equestrians,  added  to  the  animated 
and  variegated  scene  which  they  them- 
selves had  come  to  admire. 

Barclay,  who  had  been  only  waiting 
for  a  change  of  temperature,  now  drove 
up  to  the  door  in  his  tandem  to  take  me 
back  to  Illenoo.  His  sleigh  was  a  light 
but  compact  vehicle,  containing  accom- 
modation in  front  for  two  persons,  and 
a  seat  behind  for  a  servant.  It  was  the 
best-appointed  and  most  comfortable  one 
I  had  seen  in  the  country,  and  his  horses 
were  noted  for  their  beauty,  speed,  and 
docility.  In  a  few  minutes  we  were  on 
our  way  to  the  country. 

'•  I  am  in  great  doubt,"  he  said,  "  how 
to  drive.  I  should  like  to  proceed 
slowly  in  order  to  enjoy  the  charming 
weather,  but  I  fear  we  shall  have  a  heavy 
tall  of  snow,  and  that  at  no  great  dis- 
tance. Observe  the  singular  aspect  of 
the  sky.  It  looks  clear,  but  it  is  not 
transparent.  Although  there  is  a  strong 
light  and  a  total  absence  of  clouds,  the 
Bun  is,  nevertheless,  obscured.     Those 


long,  dark,  heavy  masses,  assembling  in 
the  east,  and  abiding    their  time  foi 
mischief,  are  charged  with  snow;  and 
the  heavens  have  a  yellow  and  what  we 
call  in  this  country,  a  creamy  appea^ 
ance :  all  which  signs,  when  they  follow 
intense  gold,  such  as  we  have  experienced 
these  last  three  days,  and  a  heavy  white 
frost,  like  that  of  the  past  night,  are  oer 
tain  indications  of  a  storm.     It  is  bad 
philosophy,  however,  to  allow  antioipa 
tions  of  the  future  to  mar  the  enjoyment 
of  the  present.     We  must  govern  our- 
selves according  to  circumstances.     Let 
us  proceed  leisurely  at  first,  and  if  a 
gale  overtake  us,  my  horses  have  both 
bottom  and  speed  to  keep  pace  with  it" 
There  is  something  very  novel  and 
amusing  in  the  scene  presented  by  a 
main  road  in  winter,  in  the  provinces, 
when   traversed  by  the  eztraordinarj 
looking  vehicles  of  the  country.     Here 
you  encounter  a  load  of  hay,  of  such 
huge  proportions  as  to  occupy,  not  only 
the  whole  track,  but  nearly  the  whole 
highway,  drawn  by  a  long,  extended 
line  of  five  or  six  horses.    Nothing  can 
exceed  the  difficulty  and  inconvenience 
of  passing  one  of  these  moving  staob 
of  hay  (for  such  they  appear),  an  opera- 
tion always  performed  at  the  risk  of 
upsetting,  and  often  occasioning  serioot 
injury  to  the  horses  and  sleighs  of  the 
less  favored  travellers.      In  any  other 
part  of  the  world  this  is  an  evil  that 
would  soon  be  remedied,  but  those  who 
own  or  drive  these  teams  are  the  mnlti- 
tude,  and  the  gentlemen  whose  lives  and 
property  are   perilled  are   but  few  in 
number;  and,  according  to  every  rule 
of  responsible  government,  it  is  held  to 
be  reasonable  that  the  few  should  gire 
way  to  the  many.     Then  you  meet  an- 
other  and  -still   more  powerful   team, 
drawing  the  wooden  frame  of  a  house, 
or  an   enormous  spar,  of   dimensions 
suitable  for  the  mast  of  a  seventy-four- 
gun  ship,  either  end  of  which  is  support 
ed  by  a  short,  massive  sled.     As  soon 
as  you  have  escaped  these   dangerous 
neighbors,  your  nerves  are  again  tested 
by  a  prodigious  load  of  wood,  extending 
eight  or  ten  feet  in  length,  and  at  least 
six  or  seven  feet  in  height,  bound  to- 


JUDGE  BELER'S  GHOST. 


Ill 


gclher  by  four  small  stakes,  the  ends  of 
wbieh  are  aeeured  in  the  runners,  and 
Uie  tops  insttflSioiently  and  carelessly 
boand  by  »  rope  or  chain.  Seated  on 
this  travelliu^  wood-pile  is  the  driver, 
who,  by  the  aid  of  a  long  whip  and  the 
intonations  of  his  voice,  without  any 
nin  whatever,  directs  half -a- dozen 
hoFMS,  if  not  according  to  your  ideas  of 
H^ety,  to  his  own  entire  satisfaction. 
Having  escaped  these  perils,  you  have 
leisure  to  be  amused  at  a  countryman 
sitting  astride  on  the  back  of  an  enor- 
mous pig,  the  uppermost  one  of  some 
twenty  or  thirty  frozen  carcases  of  pork 
which  he  is  carrying  to  market;  who 
is  followed  by  a  man  with  a  load  of 
empty  barrels,  piled  as  high  in  the  air 
as  the  tops  of  tne  trees,  and  destined  for 
the  fisheries.  Behind  these  are  num- 
berless sleds,  having  bodies  like  large 
packing-boxes  filled  with  mutton,  poul- 
try, butter,  cheese,  and  other  rural  pro- 
ductions. Such  are  the  objucts  you 
meet  in  your  progress  to  the  country ; 
those  that  you  overtake  and  pass  are 
loaded  with  every  conceivable  variety  of 
supplies  for  themselves  or  country  tra- 
ders. For  some  distance  from  Halifax 
yon  encounter  but  few  foot  passengers, 
ud  they  are  so  poorly  clad,  and  carry 
8uoh  heavy  burdens,  that  you  are  at 
once  struck  with  compassion;  which 
you  have  scarcely  time  to  entertain  or 
express  before  your  ear  is  assailed  with 
the  loud  laugh  or  cheerful  song  of  the 
merrv,  thoughtless  negro.  He  has  se- 
cured his  food  for  the  day  and  doubts  not 
that  Providence  will  provide  for  him  on 
the  morrow,  and  therefore,  like  a  true 
philosopher,  never  suffers  doubt  or  anxi- 
ety to  trouble  his  mind. 

While  noticing  and  remarking  on 
these  objects  we  glided  on  with  incon- 
eeivable  ease.  The  snow  had  slightly 
melted  and  settled  into  a  moM  compact 
form ;  there  was  neither  friction  nor  re- 
sistance, and  the  runners  passed  over  it 
18  lightly  as  an  oiled  substance.  Mean- 
while the  color  of  the  road  became  al- 
tered. The  pure  and  unsullied  white 
I  covering  looked  yellow  and  dirty — the 
usual  forerunner  of  a  change  of  weather. 
A  loath  wind,  which  had  hitherto  blown 


at  intervals-  in  fitful  gusts  and  moaned 
heavily  through  the  trees,  now  arose 
into  a  steady  gale,  and  the  leafless 
bi^^hes  of  the  forest  creaked  and  1»- 
bo|B  under  its  influence.  A  few  loose, 
deutehed,  and  damp  flakes  of  sleet,  <^ 
uncommon  size,  began  to  fall  around  us, 
while  the  hasty  return  of  all  the  sleighs 
that  had  preceded  us  bespoke  the  ap- 

Srehension  of  their  drivers.  We  imme- 
iately  increased  our  speed,  but  the 
falling  of  the  snow  increased  faster, 
which  soon  assumed  in  its  rapid  and 
compact  descent  the  appearance  of  a 
dense  cloud.  The  dear  and  cheerful 
sound  of  the  bells  became  dull  and 
heavy,  and  finally  ceased  altogether,  and 
our  sleigh  and  ourselves  were  Btkm  cov- 
ered with  a  heavy  adhesive  white  coat- 
ing. As  we  penetrated  further  into  the 
country,  we  found  that  the  road,  accord- 
ing to  the  prediction  of  Barclay,  pre- 
sented a  less  hardened  surface,  and  that 
the  travelling  was  both  deeper  and  more 
laborious. 

"  Now,  my  friend,"  he  said,  "  while  I 
occupv  myself  with  driving,  endeavor 
as  well  as  you  can  to  guard  us  on  the 
right,  while  my  servant  keeps  a  vigilant 
watch  on  the  left  hand  ;  for  I  intend  to 
put  my  horses. to  their  utmost  speed, 
and  am  afraid  of  running  into  some  of 
the  country  teams.  The  flakes  are  get- 
ting smaller,  finer,  and  drier,  the  wind 
has  risen  higher  and  shifted  to  the  east, 
and  we  are  going  to  have  a  gale  of  un- 
usual violence." 

The  storm,  fortunately,  was  in  our 
backs,  but  the  rapidity  of  our  motion 
through  the  white  and  dazzling  snow 
nearly  deprived  one  of  the  power  of 
vision.  A  sudden  turn  of  the  road, 
which  momentarily  exposed  us  to  the 
full  sweep  of  the  blast,  showed  me  the 
accuracy  of  my  friend's  predictions,  for 
we  plunged  directly  through  an  enor- 
mous drift  that  lay  extended  across  our 
track  like  a  wave  of  the  sea,  particles 
of  which,  lifted  by  the  wind,  nearly  suf- 
focated us  and  our  horses.  As  soon  as 
we  resumed  a  western  course,  our  route 
lay  for  several  miles  through  a  wood, 
and  availing  ourselves  of  its  protection 
we  pressed  forward  as  fast  as  possible 


.':   V'' 


:1 


•i^'  ^ 


\< 


I  [iMil 


!    II 


i    '*IK 


I  I  |l ' 


112 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  (  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


"  God  he  p  thoM,"  he  said,  «  who  are 
traTelling  the  other  waj,  and  have  to 
&oe  this  storm,  with  poor  or  jaded  cat- 
tle; as  for  ourseWes  we  are  allxkht, 
and  shall  soon  reach  Mount  HopejiKlar 
only  difScolty  will  be  in  the  last  mile  of 
the  road,  whioh  we  shall  find,  I  fear, 
ooTered  to  the  tops  of  the  fences.  Any 
thing  that  horses  can  do  mine  can  ef> 
feet,  but  I  am  afraid  that  in  their  strug- 
gles they  will  draw  off  the  shafts  or  the 
whipper-tree.  This  is  decidedly  the  worst 
tempest  I  have  knbwn  for  twent;^  years." 

When  we  orriyed  at  this  critical  part 
of  onr  journey  he  requested  me  to  take 
my  seat  in  the  back  part  of  the  sleigh, 
in  the  lap  of  the  servant,  so  as  to  lighten 
tiie  front  of  the  yehicle  when  it  pitched 
into  the  drifts,  and  then  standing  up  him- 
self he  slackened  his  pace  and  drove 
cautiously.  At  times  our  noble  animals 
appeared  perfectly  buried  in  snow,  and 
could  only  proceed  by  rearing  and 
plunging  forward,  and  wc  were  often 
compelled  to  stop  and  lift  up  the  sleigh 
or  lighten  its  weight,  and  disentan^e 
the  traces  from  the  legs'  of  the  horses. 

The  last  drift  terminated  like  a  wall. 
The  wind  passing  between  the  house 
and  the  outbuildings,  which  were  situa- 
ted on  opposite  sides  of  the  highway  at 
Mouut  Hope,  swept  all  that  part  of  the 
road  perfectly  bare,  and  rolled  up  the 
snow  on  one  side  into  a  precipitous 
bank.  Here  Barclay  got  out,  and  ex- 
amining the  depth  pronounced  it  im- 
possible for  horses  to  pass  it  in  harness. 
Having  released  them  from  the  vehicle, 
and  procured  assistance  from  the  inn, 
wo  managed,  though  not  without  much 
difficulty,  to  remove  the  fence,  and  by  a 
circuitous  route  to  conduct  them  in 
safety  to  the  stables.  When  we  arrived 
at  the  house  we  wore  at  first  shown  into 
a  room  warmed  by  a  stove  ;  and  shortly 
afterwards,  into  another,  havine  one  of 
the  large,  blazing,  glorious  wood-fires  of 
Nova  Scotia.  There  is  a  hospitable 
profusion  about  these  rural  fre-places, 
and  a  hearty  welcome  in  their  appear- 
ance that  contrasts  most  favorably  with 
the  ingenious  city  contrivances  to  admin* 
ister  the  exact  amount  of  heat  with  the 
least  possible  expend  iturc  of  fuel.   After 


a  capital  dinner,  for  tho  l«rd«n  of  thi 
inns  at  this  laaiOD  of  tb«  ymr  are  alwsn 
abundantly  lupplicd,  we  drew  «p  to  tbt 
oheerftil  flrt  and  admired  the  two  bram 
giants,  Oog  and  Magog  (the  andironi), 
who  Mpportod  with  hm  the  enormooi 
weicbl  of  wood. 

The  gait  we  htd  noonntored.  whiek 
still  raged  wildlv  and  fbriotislv,  led  tht 
oonvenation  to  inoidents  resultiogfrom 
similar  eyenti.  Barolay  related  to  me 
the  partiottlari  of  the  great  storm  of 
1798,  when  it  is  said  tho  greatest  quan- 
tity of  snow  foil  that  was  ever  known  it 
any  one  time,  and  also  mentioned  a  on- 
rious  ooourreaoe  that  happened  under 
his  own  riow. 

A  few  yean  ago,  he  said,  when  on  hii 
way  to  Ottmberland  (N.  8.)  in  the  spring 
of  the  year,  be  spent  a  night  on  the 
Oobequid  MottDtalni.    For  several  daji 
previous  the  weather  bad  been  uncom- 
monly fine,  and  numerous  flocks  of  wild 
geese  were  seen  pursuing  their  annul 
migration  to  the  north.  ,  The  morninc  I 
after  bis  arrival,  an  enormous  flock  d 
these  birds  meeting  with  »  storm  of  hail 
and  freeslng  ileet,  were  observed  re- 1 
turning  on  their  track  in  the  form  of 
the  letter  A,  a  figure  whioh  thepr  adopt  I 
to  enable  the  stronger  and  hardier  onei 
to  lead  the  adyauoe.    Their  sagacity  ii  | 
so  great,  that  they  are  usually  aware  of 
the  approach  of  a  tempest,  and  avoid  iti  I 
effects  by  seekinff  out  a  place  of  shelter  | 
in  due  time.    On  this  occasion,  how- 
ever, they  appear  to  have  been  unex- 
pectedly overtaken;   and  as  the  sleet  I 
nrozo  on  them  as  soon  as  it  fell,  theT 
became  so  overloaded  and  exhausted,  | 
that  they  deioended  into  a  fleld  immedi- 
ately ill  front  of  the  bouse,  where  the  | 
whole  of  them  were  instantly  taken  pris- 
oners without  being  able  even  to  make  I 
an  attempt  to  isoaoe.    Some  were  eaten 
fresh  by  the  family,  others  were  pre- 
served in  pickle,  ana  the  rest  sent  to 
the  Halifax  market,  where,  ho  said,  thej 
put  their  feet  to  the  fire  before  the; 
went  to  bed,  and  gave  them  a  class  of 
hot  wbls—whls— whiskey    and  water. 
The  odd  termination  of  tho  sentence  I 
induced  me  to  look  up  at  the  face  of  mj 
friend,  and,  lo  I  be  was  fast  asleep.    The  | 


M 


JUDOB  BELER  b  QHOST. 


113 


drowsy  offeots  of  the  large  wood-fire  had 
Bungled  bis  thoaehts  or  hie  wants  with 
hii  story  of  the  birds. 

For  some  time  after  we  renohed  the 
boose,  there  were  several  arrivalfl  from , 
the  country,  among  whioh  was  the  stage- 
ileigh  from  Illenoo,  whioh  had  been  up- 
lat  more  than  onoe,  and  the  top  broken 
to  pieces.  All  the  passengers  spoke  of 
the  latter  part  of  their  journey  as  one  of 
greater  difficulty  and  more  danger  than 
IDT  they  had  ever  experienced.  On  the 
fouowing  morning  we  found,  to  our  dis- 
may, that  it  was  not  only  snowing  and 
drating  as  fast  as  erer,  but  that  there 
WIS  not  the  slightest  appearance  of  a 
dutnge. 

«  We  must  make  up  our  minds,"  said 
Barday,  "  to  remain  here  for  a  day  or 
two.  It  is  impossible  for  us  to  leave 
tliis  place  in  the  present  state  of  the 
kiAb,  i(nd  equally  impossible  for  any 
(tthers  to  arrive.  I  will  go  and  see  who 
i>  in  'the  keeping-room,'  and  what 
amusement  it  can  afford  us ;  for  it  would 
be  quite  absurd  for  a  traveller  like  you 
to  be  shut  up  all  day  at  an  inn  with 
looh  an  old  cynic  as  me,  while  there 
may  be  many  persons  here  well  worth 
itndving  and  knowing." 

The  house  at  Mount  Hope  was  incon- 
Te^ently  situated,  being  on  tho  top  of 
nther  a  high  hill,  but  wan  very  well  ar- 
ranged for  the  accommodation  of  the 
different  classes  of  persons  that  fro- 
dented  it.  It  was  a  long,  narrow,  two- 
I  itory  building,  forming  two  sides  of  a 
square,  and  having  a  double  entrance, 
one  at  the  side  and  one  at  the  front. 
Besides  the  apartments  appropriated  to 
,  the  use  of  those  who  preferred  to  be 
1  alone,  there  were  two  large  rooms,  one 
of  which  was  devoted  to  teamsters,  pe- 
deetrians,  and  people  of  that  description, 
connected  with  which  was  the  bar.  The 
other  was  called  the  keeping-room,  and 
generally  reserved  for  the  use  of  the 
family,  but  where  old  patrons,  friends, 
and  acquaintances,  were  not  considered 
as  intruders.  In  the  rear,  and  attached 
to  this,  were  the  kitchen,  larder,  pantry, 
l&o. 

Barclay  soon  returned,  accompanied 
by  Miss  Lucy  Neal,  tho  mau'iger  of  the 
8  , 


household,  a  fine,  hearty,  blooming,  good* 
natured  country  girl,  of  about  ^irty 
years  of  sige,  to  whom  he  introduced  me. 
After  chatting  a  while  about  the  storm 
and  other  indifferent  matters,  she  said 
she  feared  I  must  find  it  dull  to  be  con- 
fined so  long  to  the  house ;  and  added, 
that  if  I  felt  inclined,  she  would  be  glaa 
to  see  me  after  dinner  in  the  keeping- 
room — an  invitation  which  I  most  reaa* 
ily  and  cheerfully  accepted. 
As  soon  as  she  retired,  Barclay  said— 
« I  have  arranged  it  all  for  you.  I 
have  ordered  dinner  at  two  o'clook,  so 
as  to  enable  us  to  spend  the  whole  after- 
noon below,  where  you  will  see  one  of 
the  oddest  fellows  in  this  country,  Ste- 
phen Bichardson,  of  Clements,  in  the 
county  of  Annapolis.  There  is  some 
drollery  about  him,  inexhaustible  good- 
humor,  and,  amid  all  the  nonsense  he 
talks,  more  quickness  of  perception  and 
shrewdness  than  you  would  at  first  give 
him  credit  for.  Take  him  altogether, 
he  is  what  may  be  called  a  regular 
character.  If  I  can  manage  it,  I  will 
set  him  and  others  telling  stories ;  for 
nothing  illustrates  the  habits,  manners, 
and  tastes  of  a  population  more  than 
these,  their  favorite  topics." 

About  four  o'clock  we  joined  the  party 
of  travellers  assembled  in  the  privileged 
room  of  the  family.  This  apartment 
was  about  twenty-five  feet  in  length,  but 
disproportionably  narrow.  The  floor 
was  painted,  and  not  carpeted,  and  the 
walls  covered  with  a  yellow  wash.  The 
fire-place,  which  was  of  huge  dimensions, 
was  furnished  with  a..l>ack-log  that  re- 
quired the  efforts  of  two  men  to  roll  it 
into  its  bed;  and  surmounted  by  a 
mantelpiece  that  was  graced  with  one 
of  Mr.  Samuel  Slick's  clocks,  the  upper 
half  being  covered  by  a  dial-plate,  and 
the  lower  portion  exhibiting  a  portrait 
of  General  Washington  mounted  on  a 
white  charger,  with  long  tail  and  flowing 
mane.  The  sides  of  the  loota  were  or- 
namented with  a  sampler  worked  on 
canvass,  and  some  coarse  gaudy-eolored 
prints,  among  which  the  most  conspicu- 
ous were  two  representing  George  III. 
and  Queen  Charlotte,  wearing  their 
crowns,  and  severally  holding  i\  one 


ti,yi  * 

•  •    *       1-4.  t       ♦[ 


••'A'! 


'4' 

9 


'm 


M* 


>•♦   ,1 


if   ". 


•>  '?- 


i*^'x 


nW 


r» 


,       * 


»^.'^ 


tilt 


lU 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  L'lFV  IN  A  COLONY. 


btod  A  globo  snd  In  the  other  a  sceptre, 
M  if  pitying  ft  gftme  of  eoronella.  In 
one  corner  Wfta  tn  open  onpboard,  fitting 
into  th«  ftngl«,  ftnd  exhibiting  tlie  best 
ebinft  ftnd  glaii  of  the  honsa  In  front 
of  eftoh  window,  ftll  of  which  faced  to 
the  loath,  waa  ft  atftnd  lupporting  some 
gerftninmi,  monthly  roaea,  and  ivy.  The 
eompftny  oonsisted  of  about  six  or  eight 
peraona,  beiiides  Misa  Lncy  and  her  sis- 
ter. Mr,  Stephen  Riohardson,  to  whom 
ny  attention  had  been  previously  di- 
rected, was  ft  tftll,  muscular,  awkward- 
looking  man,  with  a  alight  stoop  in  the 
•bottlder.  Hit  manners  were  free  and 
eaav,  the  expression  of  his  face  knowing 
ftnd  oomioal,  and  his  dreaa  the  light-blue 
bomeipun  oommon  to  the  country. 

Whon  we  entered,  a  small,  thin  man; 
with  ft  lonr,  bilious  &oe,  and  dressed 
In  ft  rait  of  blttok  cloth,  was  entertainine 
the,  party  with  a  grieriince,  for  which 
be  exproiied  his  determination  to  be 
nrenged  upon  the  goyernment  at  the 
next  eleetion.  He  had  been  at  Halifax, 
It  leemed,  from  whence  he  was  just  re- 
turning, to  solicit  some  little  petty  local 
ofloe  at  Aylsford,  where  he  resided,  to 
wbioh  he  tnonght  himself  eminently  en- 
titled by  his  valuablo  political  partisan 
lenrleei,  but  which,  to  his  dismay,  he 
found  had  been  disposed  of  to  an  earlier 
and  more  fortunate  applicant.  Loud 
and  long  were  his  denunciations  and 
oomplttlnti. 

**I  don't  pity  you  •  morsel,"  said 
Stephen.  ''  The  biest  office  for  a  farmer 
is  being  his  own  overseer,  and  the  best 
feei  thoie  paid  by  his  orchards  and 
fielda.  There  is  nothing  so  mean  in 
folkg  like  vott  and  me  as  office-seeking, 
naleia  it  is  in  wearing  broad-cloth  in- 
•tead  of  homespun,  as  if  a  man  wab 
above  his  business.  Now  look  at  me," 
ftnd  he  rose  up  and  stood  erect :  "  I  am 
ilx  fdet  four  In  my  stockings,  vi^n  un- 
ruvoltod  and  bolt  upright,  and  six  feet 
five  when  stretched  out  on  a  bench; 
and,  from  the  solo  of  my  foot  to  the 
orown  of  my  head,  I  am  dressed  in  the 

S reduce  of  my  own  farm.  I  raised  the 
ftx  and  hnckled  it,  and  bred  the  sheep 
and  etieared  the  wool  that  made  the  lin- 
•n  ftod  the  cloth  T  wear.     I  am  sort  of 


proud  of  it,  too ;  for  a  farmer,  ftoeordisf 
to  my  ideas  of  things,  ought  to  U 
known  by  his  dress,  like  an  officer  or  i 
parson ;  and  then  when  folks  see  him 
they'll  know  he  ain't  run  up  a  bill  ati 
shop,  and  ain't  cutting  a  dash  in  thi 
he  nan't  paid  for.  I've  known  sone 
very  mean  men  in  my  time.  There 
was  Deacon  Overreach,  now;  he  vu 
so  moan  he  always  carried  a  hen  in  hu 
gig-box  when  he  travelled  to  pick  up 
the  oats  his  horse  wasted  in  the  manger, 
and  lay  an  egg  for  his  breakfast  in  the 
morning.  And  then  there  was  Hago 
Himmelman,  who  made  his  wife  di^ 
potatoes  to  pay  for  the  marriage  lioense. 
Lawyer/*  he  continued,  addressing  him- 
self to  Barclay,  "  I  must  tell  you  thai 
story  of  Hugo,  for  it's  not  a  bad  one 
and  good  stories,  like  potatoes,  ain't  u 
plenty  as  they  used  to  be  when  I  wwi 
Doy.  Hugo  is  a  neighbor  of  mine, 
though  considerable  older  than  I  be 
and  a  mean  neighbor  he  is,  too.  "WeE 
when  ho  was  going  to  get  married  . 
Gretohen  Kolp,  he  goes  down  to  parwi 
Bogers  at  Dighy  to  get  a  license. 

" '  Parson,'  says  he,  *  what's  the  price 
of  a  license  V 

'* '  Six  dollars,'  says  he. 

^ '  Six  dollars  I'  says  Hugo.  <  ThiC 
a  dreadful  sight  of  money  I  Couldn't 
you  take  no  less  V 

" «  No,'  says  he.    '  That's  what  thej 
cost    me  to   the   secretary's  office 
Halifax.' 

"'Well,  bow  much  do  you  ax  fot 
publishing  in  church,  then  V 

" '  Nothing,'  says  parson. 

"  '  Well,'  says  Hugo, '  that's  so  cheip 
I  can't  expect  you  to  give  no  change 
back.  I  thinlc  1*11  be  published.  Hoi 
long  docs  it  take  V 

"' Three  Sundays.' 

"'Three  Sundays"  Says  Huga 
'Well,  that's  a  long  time,  too.  Bol 
three  Sundays  only  m&ke  a  fortnight 
after  all ;  two  for  the  covers"  and  one 
for  the  inside  like  :  and  six  dollars  isi 
great  sum  of  money  for  a  poor  man 
throw  away.     I  must  wait.' 

"So  off  he  went  a-jogging  towari 
home,  and  a-Iooking  about  as  mean  asi 
new-sheared  sheep,  wheii  all  at  oncei 


J.  ■  t 


m  t 


'^' 


■^A: 


JUDGE  BELER'S  GHOST. 


11* 


rmer,  aooordinn 
,  ought  to  \A 
I  an  officer  or  i| 
k  folks  Bee  I 
in  up  a  billttil 
i,  dash  in  thii  _ 
e  known  8oine| 

time.  There! 
I  now:  he  vul 
led  a  hen  in  hul 
led  to  pick  tpl 
1  in  the  manger] 
>reakfa8t  iDthel 
here  was  Hugol 
ie  his  wife  di^l 
aarriage  license  I 
addressing  hinf 
St  tell  you  Uiall 

not  a  bad  one;[ 
potatoes,  ain't  isj 
be  when  I  wwil 
ffhbor  of  mine,! 
ler  than  I  be:[ 
le  is,  too.  "WelLl 
)  get  married  tol 
i  down  to  parsoDJ 

a  license. 

what's  the  priee| 

le. 

Hugo.    '  Thit'il 
Dney  1     Cooldn'tl 

hat's  what  thel 
etary's  office  itl 

do  you  ax  foti 

;hen?' 

rson. 
'  that's  so  cheipl 
give  no  changel 

)ublished.     Hoi| 


'  says  Hugal 
time,  too.  Bill 
i&ke  a  fortnighll 

covers'  and  owl 
d  six  dollars  is  il 
or  a  poor  man  tcl 
itait.'  L 

-jogging  towari 
lout  as  mean  as  il 
len  all  at  onceij 


bright  thought  came  into  his  head,  and 
back  he  went  as  hard  as  his  horse  could 
earry  him. 

" '  Parson,'  says  he,  <  I've  changed 
my  mind.  Here's  the  six  dollars.  I'll 
tie  the  knot  to-niebt  with  my  tongue 
that  I  can't  undo  with  my  teeth.' 

*' '  Why,  what  in  nattir  is  the  mean- 
ing of  all  this  V  says  parson. 

"'Why,'  says  Hugo,  'I've  been 
eiphering  it  out  in  my  head,  and  it's 
cheaper  than  publishing  bans,  after  all. 
You  see,  sir,  it's  potato-digging-time; 
if  I  wait  to  be  called  in  church,  her 
&ther  will  have  her  work  for  notbine ; 
and  as  hands  are  scarce  and  wages  high, 
if  I  marry  her  to-night  she  can  begin  to 
dig  our  own  to-morrow ;  and  that  will 
pay  for  the  license,  and  just  seven  shil- 
lings over:  for  there  ain't  a  man  in  all 
Clements  that  can  dig  and  carry  as 
nany  bushels  in  a  day  as  Oretchen  can. 
And  besides,  fresh  wives,  like  fresh  serv- 
ants,^ork  like  smoke  at  first,  but  they 
get  sfffcy  and  lasy  after  awhile.' " 

"0,  my!"    said  Miss  Lucy;   "did 

!ou  ever  hear  the  beat  of  that  ?  Well, 
never  P  y 

"  Now  that's  what  I  call  mean,"  said 
Stephen. 

"  Mean  t"  said  Miss  Lucy,  who  was 
neatly  shocked ;  "I  guess  it  is  mean  I 
I  never  heard  any  thing  half  so  mean 
in  all  my  born  days  I" 

"  Well  I  have,  then,"  continued  Ste- 
phen. "It  ain't  near  so  mean  as  a 
ftrmer  running  about  the  country, 
dressed  up  in  superfine  broad-cloth,  a- 
looking  out  for  a  little  office.  I'll  tell 
you  what,  when  sitiations  in  tho  country 
fall  vacant,  folks  to  Halifax  know  it  as 
well  as  can  be ;  for  the  town  is  just  like  a 
salt-lick  at  the  full  of  the  moon,  it's  fill- 
ed with  stray  cattle.  When  father  and 
I  lived  on  Bear  River,  and  turned  the 
young  stock  out  to  browse  in  the  woods, 
we  never  took  the  trouble  to  hunt  them 
up,  for  they  were  always  sure  to  come 
to  the  banks  at  high  water  at  the  full 
to  get  a  drink  of  brine  ;  for  they  are 
peat  place-hunters,  are  stray  cattle." 

Here  the  little  man  in  black,  though 
eridently  accustomed  to  those  rough, 
rastio  remarks,  appeared  to  wince  un- 


der their  application  before  itrangmv, 
and  made  an  attempt  to  turn  the  con-  ' 
versation  by  taking  a  letter  out  of  his 
pocket-book  and  asking  Richardson  "  if 
he  would  do  him  the  favor  to  allow  him 
to  make  him  the  medium  of  transmit- 
ting it  to  Halifax,  having  unfortunately 
forgotten  to  deliver  it  himself" 

"Which  means,  in  plain  English," 
said  Stephen,  "you  fetched  it  back  by 
mistake.  Why  the  devil  can't  you 
t&tk  plain?  There  is  nothing  like 
homespun  talk  and  homespun  cloth  for 
a  farmer.  I'll  take  a  hundred  of  them, 
if  you  like.     Lot's  see  it !" 

He  then  took  the  letter  and  examin- 
ed the  address,  and,  reversing  it,  look- 
ed at  the  seal  and  returned  it,  saying — 

"  Open  that  letter  and  read  it  to  me, 
or  I  can't  take  it.  I've  made  a  vow 
never  to  carry  a  paper  for  any  man,  un- 
less I  know  what's  in  it.  I  got  into  an 
awful  scrape  once  by  carrying  a  letter 
that  had  a  wafer  in  it  to  Sir  Hercules 
Sampson,  the  governor  that  used  to  be 
here  a  good  while  ago.  I'll  tell  yoa 
how  it  was,  so  that  you  may  see  it  ain't 
because  I  don't  want  to  oblige  you,  but 
just  to  keep  out  of  a  scrape  myself 
when  I  know  I  am  well  off.  One  fall, 
just  as  I  was  a-starting  from  home  for 
Halifax  in  a  vessel  loaded  with  apples 
and  cider  I  raised  on  my  own  farm,  and 
the  matter  of  five  hundred  boxes  of 
smoked  herrings  (which  I  caught  and 
cured  myself),  who  should  come  along 
but  Pete  Balcom,  with  a  letter  in  his 
hand. 

"*  Steve,'  says  he,  'just  leave  this  at 
Government  House,  will  you,  that's  a 
good  fellow,  as  soon  as  you  arrive  in 
town,  and  I  will  do  as  much  for  yov 
some  other  time.' 

"'Certainly,'  says  I;  'but,  as  my 
hands  are  sort  of  dirty,  do  you  take  my 
pocket-book  out  of  my  jacket  and  stow 
it  away  snug,'  and  he  did  so.  Well, 
one  day,  after  I  got  to  Halifax  and  un- 
loaded the  vessel,  as  I  was  agoing 
along  the  street  with  my  working 
clothes  on,  who  should  I'  see  a-galloping 
along  from  parade  but  the  governor  and 
a  couple  of  other  officers,  with  their 
spurs  a-jangling,  and  their  swords  »■ 


•'..I* 


\i 


116 


THE  OLD  JUDOEi  OR,  LIFR  IN  A  COLONY. 


'»«% 


dAnslmg,  and  their  plamea  a-nodding, 
talking  and  a-laushinff  away  liko  any 
thing  Thinka  I,  I'll  just  follow  on  to 
Government  Honae  and  sire  Pete  Bal- 
oom'a  letter  to  one  of  hia  hired  men. 
So  away  I  goei  into  one  of  the  great 
atone  gates,  and  there  was  treeii,  and 
grarel-walks,  and  little  baahea,  and  a 
aort  of  garden-looking  place,  and  a  great 
big  front  door.  So  I  backed  out  and 
went  up  the  hill  and  turned  into  t'other 
gate,  and,  as  I  am  a  living  ainner,  there 
was  another  pleaaure-garden-looking 
place,  and  a  front  door  there,  too. 
Thinks  I,  goodneas  me,  whero'a  the 
back  porch  that  common  folka  like  me 
ffo  into  t  Theae  plaoea  are  only  meant 
ror  great  men  and  offioe-aeekers,  like 
oar  friend  Broadcloth  here.  So  I  took 
a  circuit  all  round  the  houae,  till  I  came 
back  to  where  I  started  from,  like  a 
fellow  lost  in  the  wooda,  when  I  aaw  a 
baker  drive  in.  Come,  aaya  I  to 
myaelf,  I'll  az  no  queations,  for  that 
looka  aa  if  you  did  not  know ;  but  I'll 
jnat  follow  old  Dough,  for  where  the 
bread  goea  he  that  raiaes  the  flour  haa 
a  right  to  go  alao.  Well,  out  he  jumps 
from  hia  cart,  and  takes  a  basket  of 
loaves  on  his  arm,  and  dives  down  be- 
hind an  iron  railing  alongside  of  the 
street-door,  and  I  after  him.  Though  ho 
knew  the  way  and  I  didn't,  I  kept  close 
up  to  him  for  all  that ;  foi'  a  man  that 
can  overhaul  a  moose  ain't  easy  left  be- 
hind by  a  baker  chap,  I  tell  you. 
Well,  we  no  sooner  got  into  the  lower 
regions  than  Sixpenny  Loaf  lays  down 
his  basket,  up  with  his  whip,  knocks  at 
the  door,  and  off  like  a  shot,  leaving  me 
and  the  basket  there. 

"'Hullo,'  said  I,  'Mister,  deliver 
your  own  freight  yourself,  will  you,  if 
vou  please  ?  it's  enough  for  me  to  hand 
m  Pete  Baloom's  letter.  And  besides, 
I  am  a  stranger  here.' 

"  But  crack  went  the  whip,  and  away 
went  the  wheels ;  and  the  only  answer 
I  got  was, '  Gome  in.'  So  I  opened  the 
door,  and  there  was  a  little,  thin  old 
lady,  with  spectacles  on,  and  her  two 
daughters  handsomely  dressed.  Moth- 
er was  writing  in  a  big  book  that  looked 
to  me  like  a  merchant's  ledger,  and  tte 


two  young  women  were  making  a  bit 
of  carpet  with  colored  yams,  in  a  small* 
sited  quilting  frame.  Thinks  I  to  iiij< 
self,  I  won't  say  nothing  about  thtl 
trick  the  feller  played  me  with  the  bread. 
If  be  don't  choose  to  stop  for  his  pay, 
he  may  go  without  it.     So  says  I, 

"'Marm,  I've  a  letter  for  the  gor> 
ernor,  that  a  neighbor  of  mine,  od« 
Pete  Balcom,  asked  me  to  leave  hen 
for  him ;'  and  I  out  pocket-book  and 
gave  it  to  her,  and  she  oandod  it  to  on« 
of  the  gals,  who  went  out  to  hand  it  to 
some  one  else. 

" '  Take  a  chair  and  sit  down,'  said 
old  mother,  quite  sooiable-like.  '  Be  lo 
good  as  to  wait  a  moment,  perhaps  hit 
excellency  the  governor  mav  have  u 
answer  for  you ;'  and  then  she  went  od 
wciting  as  before." 

"That  must  have  been  the  houei- 
keeper  you  saw,"  said  Miss  Lucy,  with 
the  patronising  air  of  a  person  wlio 
thinks  she  knows  the  world ;  "  and  what 
you  call  bits  of  carpet  in  frames,  wu 
rug-work." 

"  I  don't  know  who  the  plague  ahi 
was,"  said  Stephen,  "nor  don't  oate. 
I  never  saw  her  before,  and  I  never 
want  to  see  her  again." 

"  Well,  as  I  was  a-saying,  that  gari 
me  time  to  oast  my  eye  round  and  think 
a  bit  upon  things  in  general ;  and  when 
I  see'd  these  nice-dressed  women,  and 
well-furnished  room,  and  flowers,  and 
what  not,  thinks  I,  if  this  is  your  kitch- 
en-room, what  must  your  parlor  be? 
And  then  I  looked  at  my  clothes  all 
covered  with  dust,  a  little  more  nor 
half-worn,  and  looking  none  the  better 
for  the  tar  of  the  vessel.  I  won't  sav  I 
wished  for  broad-cloth,  for  I  didn't ;  bnt 
I  did  long  for  my  new  suit  of  homespnn, 
for  I  feel  sort  of  proud  of  it,  seeing  I 
raised  the  stuff,  and  my  old  womin 
wove  it  and  made  it,  as  I  said  before. 
Well,  just  then  in  come  a  servant  witb 
a  pair  of  red  breeches  on,  and  gold  gar- 
ters, and  white  stockings  pulled  up 
tight  over  a  pair  of  legs  about  as  big  u 

as  big  as what  shall  I  say! 

why,  about  as  big  as  your  drumsticks, 
Broadcloth.  The  fellow  looked  as  mucb 
like  a  gentleman,  and  was  as  well  dressed 


lage,  as  co 
Granville 
then  up  a  ; 
to  the  righ 
then  to  the 
when  you  < 
of  crossed 
critter,  wb 
carry  bis  si 
is  going  to 
fetching  tb 
for  that's  8< 
I  wouldn't 
house,  for  I 
Homjspun, 
me  into  a  I 
oat  a  carpc 
thrashing-f 
two  unsAif 
with  a  laq 
stand  on  it 
with  his  E 
thirteen-po 
OD,and  tue 
middle  of 
much  .», 
else.     In 
come  the  | 
bony  man, 
a' nose  as 
pair  of  eyei 
18  a  Lucife 
by  his  side 
saw  him  ii 
hat  vith  it 
As  soon  ai 
sergeant 
straight  as 
" '  How 
ter  as  that 
"'Govei 
«'SiIen( 
no  excuse. 


as,  ] 


leaking  a  bit 
'ns,  in  a  amali< 
links  I  to  mj. 
i{|  about  thtl 
irith  tht  bread. 
ip  for  bis  pay, 
0  says  I, 
r  for  tba  goT< 
of  mine,  ont 
to  leaye  her« 
icket-book  and 
taiei  it  to  one 
t  to  hand  it  to 

sit  down,'  said 
B-like.  '  Be  to 
it,  perbaps  hit 
may  bave  an 
en  she  went  on 

)en  the  booM- 
lies  Lucy,  witli 
a  person  who 
rlu ;  '*  and  whit 
in  frames,  mi 

the  plague  shi 
lor  don't  oare. 
e,  and  I  never 

ying,  that  gaTi 
>ound  and  think 
eral ;  and  when 
ed  women,  and 
id  flowers,  and 
is  is  your  kitch- 
rar  parlor  be! 

my  clothes  all 
ittle  more  nor 
lone  the  better 
I  won't  sav  I 
3r I  didn't;  but 
it  of  homespoD, 
i  of  it,  seeing  1 
my  old  womin 
,s  I  said  before. 
}  a  servant  with 
n,  and  gold  gar- 
ngs    pulled  up 

about  as  big  u 
at  shall  I  say! 
'our  drumsticks, 
'  looked  as  much 
s  as  well  dressed 


JUDGE  BELER'S  OilOJl. 


117 


as  an  eddy-song,  or  chaplain,  or  what- 
Iter  they  call  them,  and  as  impudent 
loo ;  for  says  he,  '  Follow  me  I*  quite 
ihort,  like  a  chap  that  has  received  so 
many  orders  that  he  begins  to  think  at 
last  he  has  a  right  to  give  tbem  himself 
Thinks  I,  Natur  is  natur,  whether  it's 
on  a  farm  or  in  a  governor's  kitchen- 
room,  for  every  thing  gets  saroy  that's 
well-fod  and  has  notbintr  to  do.  Well, 
be  takes  me  through  along  stone  pas- 
lage,  as  cold  as  the  nateral  ice-house  on 
Granville  Mountain,  and  as  dark  too, 
then  up  a  pair  of  stairs,  and  then  turn 
to  the  right,  and  then  to  the  left,  and 
then  to  tno  right  again,  as  folks  tell  you 
when  you  don't  know  the  road.  It  sort 
of  crossed  my  mind  as  I  followed  the 
critter,  who  seemed  most  too  lazy  to 
carry  his  shoes,  I  suppose  the  governor 
is  going  to  offer  me  a  glass  of  erog  for 
fetching  that  letter,  and  that  Til  take, 
for  that's  sociable  and  civil-like,  though 
I  wouldn't  take  all  the  money  in  bis 
house,  for  that's  mean  and  don't  become 
Homespun.  At  last  Breeches  showed 
me  into  a  large  unfurnished  room,  with- 
out a  carpet  or  a  curtain,  as  bare  as  my 
thrashing-floor,  with  nothen  in  it  but 
two  unsfiaffed  wooden  sofas,  and  a  table 
with  a  large  writing-book  and  an  ink- 
stand on  it  On  one  side  sat  a  sergeant 
with  his  sword  on,  and  on  the  other  a 
thirteen-penny  soldier  with  his  baggouut 
on,  and  tiiere  he  left  me  standing  in  the 
middle  of  the  room,  without  saying  .as 
much  as,  By  your  leave,  or  any  thing 
else.  In  less  than  half  a-minute  out 
come  the  governor,  a  great,  tall,  thin, 
bony  man,Tike  myself,  with  a  bald  head, 
a'  nose  as  big  as  a  brass  knocker,  and  a 
pair  of  eyes  as  sharp,  bright,  and  wicked, 
IS  a  Lucifer's,  with  bis  great  big  sword 
by  his  side,  and  bi£(  spurs  on,  jist  as  I 
saw  him  in  the  street,  only  be  had  his 
hat  with  its  white  feathers  in  his  hand. 
As  soon  as  he  came  in,  up  jumps  the 
sergeant  and  the  soldier,  and  stood  as 
straight  as  two  ramrods. 

"  '  How  dure  you  hand  me  such  a  let- 
ter as  that.  Mr.  Balconi  V  said  be. 

*' '  Governor !'  says  I. 

" '  Silence !'  says  he.     '  It  admits  of 
uo  excuse' 


"  I  newer  heard  no  more  aft«r  that,  I 
was  io  taken  a-baok,  and  me  witli  my 
old  working-clothes  on,  looking  like  Oi<l 
Scratch  himself;  but  on  ho  went,  foam- 
ing and  roaring  liko  a  frishet,  and 
klompine,  klompmg^  round  oi  tho  board 
floor,  and  waving  his  arms  like  a  wind- 
mill Thinks  I  to  myself,  This  is  what 
I  call  an  indictment,  and  they  are  tr 
going  to  send  me  to  the  guard-house  as 
sure  as  tho  world ;  and  then  I  looked 
first  at  the  sergeabt,  and  then  at  Tbir- 
t^en-pence,  and  I  seed  I  could  pitchfork 
them  fellows  out  of  the  window  as  easy 
as  a  sheaf  of  wheat :  but  then  there  was 
the  governor.  If  I  was  to  lay  hands  on 
him,  even  in  self-defence,  I  knew  it 
would  be  rebellion,  besides  going  agin 
the  grain,  for  I  am  a  loyal  man,  and  ao 
was  my  father  before  me ;  and  besides 
that,  I  warn't  sure  I  could  handle  him 
either  if  I  was  to  try.  Then  I  thought 
I'd  make  a  run  for  it,  and  if  I  had 
known  the  way,  I  think  I  should  ;  but 
what  in  the  world  can  you  do  in  a  house 
that  has  as  many  doors  in  it,  a' most,  as 
there  are  days  in  the  year  1  So  I  made 
up  my  mind  to  face  it  like  a  man. 

" '  Governor,'  says  I,  '  will  you  just 
answer  me  one  question  V 

" '  Silence.  Mr.  Balcom !'  says  he ; 
'  I  have  nothing  to  say  to  you.' 

"  '  Man  alive,'  says  I, '  do  you  call  all 
this  saying  nothing  ?  Besides,  my  name 
ain't  Balcom,  and  never  was,  I  tell  you. 
You  have  got  in  a  wrong  pew,  you  may 
depend.' 

^ '  What  the  devil  is  your  name, 
then  ?'  says  he. 

"  '  Why,  folks  call  me  Stephen  Bioh- 
ardson  when  I  am  at  home,'  says  I ; 
'  and  I  know  no  more  about  that  letter 
than  the  man  in  the  moon.  I  only 
brought  it  just  to  oblige  you  and  Pete 
Balcom.' 

'■  *  Why  didn't  you  tell  me  that  be- 
fore V  says  he. 

" '  Because  you  wouldn't  let  me, 
says  I. 

"  With  that  he  hal  turned  and  waved 
his  hand,  and  the  sergeant  and  the  sol- 
dier sprung  forward,  and  as  I  thought 
they  were  a  going  for  to  seize  me,  and 
I  knowed  I  hadn't  done  nothing  wrong. 


iX  •!! 


if* 


^ 


m 


is 


\'« 


!* 


''* 


118 


THE  OLD  JUDGE ;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


'    «k, 


except  not  dressing  myself  decent,  I 
stepped  back  as  quick  as  wink  two  paces, 
and  squared  off. 

"  '  Stop  !'  says  I.  *  The  first  man 
that  lays  a  hand  on  me,  I'll  level  him 
as  flat  as  a  pancake :  so  stand  clear' 

^'  The  governor  laughed  right  out  at 
that,  and  the  two  soldiers  opened  the 
front  door  to  let  me  out,  instead  of  lead- 
ing me  all  round  by  the  kitchen,  the. 
way  I  came  in ;  and  up  steps  Sir  Her- 
cules, and  says  he,      * 

" '  You  are  a  fine,  manly  fellow,  and 
I  admire  your  spirit.  I  wish  I  had  a 
battalion  of  such  men  as  you  arc.  I 
am  very  sorry  for  the  mistake.  I  beg 
your  pardon,'  and  so  on. 

"  Well,  when  a  great  man  like  a  gov- 
ernor condescends  that  way  to  humble 
himself  to  a  poor  man,  to  say  he  begs 
his  pardon,  it  kind  of  overcomes  you, 
and  cools  you  down  as  quick  as  a  cup 
of  water  does  a  kettle  of  boiling  maple 
sap. 

'' '  I  don't  blame  vou  a  morsel,'  says 
I,  '  governor ;  but  I  blame  Pete  Bal- 
com,  though:  he  hadn't  ought  to  have 
made  a  fool  of  me  after  that  fashion. 
This  is  the  first  office  ever  I  filled  in  my 
life,  and  that  was  none  of  my  seeking, 
being  a  letter-carrier ;  and  when  I  get 
home  I'll  give  Pete  Balcom  the  first 
quarter's  salary  in  the  shape  of  as  good 
a  licking  as  ever  he  got  since  he  was 
born,  and  then  I'll  resign  the  commis- 
sion.' 

"  '  No,  no,  ray  good  friend,'  said  the 
governor,  patting  me  good-naturedly  on 
the  shoulder,  '  pray  don't  break  the 
peace  ;  I  should  be  very  sorry  to  be  the 
cause  of  any  further  annoyance  to 
you,' 

"  But  I  didn't  promise  him,  for  when 
I  promise  I  keep  my  word ;  and,  be- 
side, he  sort  of  looked  at  me  as  if  he 
wouldn't  care  much  if  I  did  give  him  a 
quilting.  Well,  the  first  time  I  met 
Mister  Pete  Balcom  aft^r  I  returned 
home,  I  just  up  and  says, 

" '  Pete,'  says  I,  '  what  was  in  that 
letter  of  yours  that  you  gave  me  to  take 
to  the  governor  V 

" '  What  is  that  to  you  V  says  he. 

'' '  It  is  a      od  deal  to  me,'  I  said ; 


'  for  I  want  to  know  what  sort  of  busi- 
ness I  was  a  partner  in  ?' 

" '  Well,  ask  about  and  find  out,'  said 
he,  quite  sarcy. 

" '  I'll  get  it  out  of  you  as  I  get  my 
wheat  out  of  the  ear,  by  thrashing  it 
out,'  says  I.  '  So  here's  at  you  ;'  and  I 
turned  to,  and  I  gave  him  such  a  tan- 
teening  as  he  never  had  since  he  was 
raised,  I  know.  The  postage  of  that 
letter  came  to  a  round  sum,  you  may 
depend.  I  got  sued  for  an  assault,  was 
dragged  through  two  courts,  and  got 
cast  in  ten  pounds'  damage,  and  twenty 
pounds'  cost ;  and  what's  more,  after  all, 
never  found  out  to  this  day  what  was  in 
that  letter.  Since  then  I've  made  a 
vow  never  to  carry  a  paper  for  any  man, 
unless  he  first  shows  me  what's  in  it. 
If  you  don't  think  proper,  therefore,  to 
break  the  seal  of  that  one,  and  read  it 
to  me,  you  may  send  it  by  some  one 
else,  and  there  is  an  end  of  it." 

After  some  general  and  desultory 
conversation,  my  friend  Barclay  rela'^ed 
the  particulars  of  an  apparition  that  had 
been  much  talked  of  at  Halifax  lately; 
and  for  the  purpose  of  drawing  out  a 
story  from  Richardson,  which  he  knew 
he  was  very  fond  of  tolling,  aslfed  him 
if  he  believed  in  the  existence  of  ghosts. 

"Well,  I  don't  know,"  said  Stephen; 
"  I  didn't  used  to  oncst  upon  a  time, 
but  I've  lamed  better  no  .  lam  not  a 
man  that's  easily  darnted.  A  feller 
that's  had  a  fair  stand-up  fight  with  a 
she-bear  weighing  six  hundredweight, 
and  nothing  but  a  jack-knife  in  his  fist 
to  defend  himself  with,  as  I  have,  and 
killed  her  too — ay,  and  skinned  her 
arterwards,  don't  deserve  to  be  called  a 
coward,  I  know.  I  warn't  brought  up 
in  the  woods  to  be  scared  by  an  owl,  I 
tell  you  ;  and,  therefore,  what  I  say  I'll 
stand  to.  I  have  see'd  a  ghost,  ay,  and 
fit  with  a  ghost,  too;  and  look  here" 
(and  undoing  his  cravat  he  es^Jiibited 
the  back  part  of  his  neck),  "  look  here, 
there's  the  marks  of  its  teeth — that  I 
shall  carry  to  the  grave  with  me.  It 
was  old  Judge  Beler's  ghost.  You  have 
hccrn  tell  of  old  Judge  Beler,  and  how 
oneasy  he  was,  seein'  that  he  never  was 
buried,  haven't  you  ?" 


it  sort  of  busi- 
> 

1  find  out,'  said 

a  as  I  get  my 
by  thrashing  it 
at  you  )'  and  I 
m  such  a  tan- 
1  since  he  was 
postage  of  that 

sum,  you  may 
an  assault,  waa 
iourts,  and  got 
ige,  and  twenty 
I  more,  after  all, 
iay  what  was  in 
n  I've  made  a 
ter  for  any  man, 
le  what's  in  it. 
er,  therefore,  to 
ne,  and  read  it 
t  by  some  one 

of  it." 

and  desultory 
Barclay  rela*«d 
arition  that  had 
Halifax  lately; 

drawing  out  a 
which  he  knew 
ing,  aslfed  him 
itence  of  ghosts. 
'  said  Stephen; 
ist  upon  a  time, 
lam  not  a 
ited.  A  feller 
up  fight  with  a 
hundredweight, 
knife  in  his  fist 
,  as  I  have,  and 
d  skinned  her 
e  to  be  called  a 
*n't  brought  up 
sd  by  an  owl,  I 
,  what  I  say  I'll 
a  ghost,  ay,  and 
ind  look  here" 
it  he  exjiibited 
sk),  "  look  here, 
3  teeth — that  I 
re  with  me.  It 
host.    You  havfl 

Beler,  and  how 
at  he  never  was 


JUDGE  BELER'S  QHOST. 


119 


None  of  the  company  had  come  from 
that  part  of  the  country  where  Stephen 
lived,  therefore,  no  one  knew  of  a  cir- 
cumstance which  had  occurred  in  the 
early  settlement  of  the  province,  and  all 
iDSwered  in  the  negative. 

"  Not  hear  of  Judge  Boler !"  he  said. 
« Well,  that's  strange,  too !  I  thought 
every  body  had  heard  of  him  and  his 
ghost.  Well,"  says  Steve, "  I'll  tell  you. 
There  is  Bigby,  do  you  see,  as  might  be 
there,"  pointing  with  the  handle  of  his 
whip  to  the  floor ;  '•  well,  away  up  there," 
pointing  to  another  spot,  "  is  Annapolis, 
as  you  might  say ;  and  there  they  stand, 
one  at  each  end  of  the  basin,  looking  at 
each  other,  but  just  twenty  miles  off  by 
water,  like  two  folks  at  each  end  of  a 
long  election  table.  Well,  all  up  this 
side  of  the  basin  is  Clements  Township, 
stretching  right  awoy  from  one  town  to 
the  other.  Well,  wheni  the  country  was 
first  settled  after  the  American  rebel- 
lion, this  Clements  was  laid  out  for  the 
Dutch  and  Germans  that  served  in  the 
war.  There  was  three  locations :  one 
on  the  shore,  and  that  the  Long  Island 
Dutch  lived  on;    behind  that  was  an- 


other range  given  to  the  Waldeck  sol- 
diers ;  and  behind  that  another  called 
the  Hessian  line,  because  the  Hessians 
had  lands  laid  off  to  them  there.  In 
those  days  there  were  nothing  but  bri- 
dle-roads, because  they  always  rode  on 
horseback  when  they  didn't  walk ;  but 
they  waru't  turnpiked  up  for  wheels  as 
they  are  now  into  highways.  Well, 
among  the  Long  Island  loyalists  there 
was  one  Judge  Beler — at  least  so  they 
used  to  call  him.  He  warn't  like  our 
supreme  judges,  regular  halter-broke 
and  trained,  but  a  sort  of  magistrate 
judge,  and  in  his  own  country  (NbW 
York  State)  belonging  to  a  kind  of 
sheep-skin  court,  as  folks  nicknamed 
them.  Still  ho  was  called  Judge,  and 
was  a  man  well-to-do  in  the  world,  and 
well-known,  and  liked  all  through  them 
settlements,  and  spoke  German  like  a 
book,  and  could  crack  up  all  the  hard 
lumps  of  words  like  a  harrow,  into  pow- 
der, as  fine  as  a  b,  ab  Well  he  used  to 
be  often  riding  away  back  into  the  Hes- 
sian line,  and  spending  a  few  days  there. 


Sometimes  they  said  he  was  surveyiLg 
land  and  laying  off  lots.  At  other  times 
they  said  he  went  to  chat  at  old  Mil- 
ner's  (not  old  Tom's  that's  there  now, 
but  old  Tom's  father's),  and  talk  and 
fight  over  the  battles  of  the  reboUion 
war ;  and  sometimes  they  said  the 
Judge — for  he  warn't  by  no  manner  of 
means  up  in  years — used  to  go  to  see 
Vogler  Vroom's  daughter,  old  Mra. 
Wagner  that  was  afterwards.  Minna 
Yroom,  they  say,  was  a  rael  fine  gall  in 
her  day,  full  of  health,  and  strength, 
and  spirits,  as  a  four-year  old  colt,  and 
yet  a  great  housekeeper  too.  Judging 
of  her  as  she  was  when  I  seVd  her,  which 
was  long  after  she  had  lost  the  mark  of 

mouth  " 

"  Why,  Mr.  Stephen,  ain't  you  asham- 
ed to  talk  that  way  of  the  ladies  ?"  said 
Miss  Lucy. 

"A  body  could  hardly  believe  she 
ever  was  so  uncommon  handsome  (but 
then  there  ain't  a«wrinkled  old  woman 
in  the  country  they  don't  say  was  pretty 
oncet) ;  for  sue  must  have  always  been 
a  little  too  much  of  the  Dutch  build  for 
figure,  according  to  my  notions ;    too 

short,  too  square  about  the" 

"  Never  mind  describing  her,"  said 
Miss  Lucy;  "go  on  with  the  story. 
There  is  nothing  in  nature  I  am  so  fond 
of  as  a  good  ghost  story." 

"  Well,  I  never  knew  it  fail,"  replied 
Stephen :  '•  one  handsome  woman  never 
cares  to  hear  about  another  handsome 
woman.  Her  father,  by  all  accounts, 
was  plaguy  well  off,  and  as  she  was  an 
only  child,  if  the  judge's  mouth  watered 
when  he  looked  on  Minna,  and  thought 
of  the  beautiful  rolls  of  yarn  and  home- 
spun, and  fat  hams,  and  smoked  beef, 
that  were  hanging  about  so  tempting, 
not  to  speak  of  the  yellow  and  white 
shiners  tied  up  in  the  long  stockings 
in  the  big  chests — why,  it  ain't  to  be 
wondered  at,  that's  all.  Maybe  he  did, 
and  maybe  he  didn't,  but  most  likely  he 
went  like  other  folks  on  his  own  busi- 
ness, whatever  it  was,  whenever  he  liked 
and  whenever  he  pleased,  and  gave  no 
account  and  axed  no  leave.  Well,  oncet 
he  went,  and,  faith,  he  never  returned 
again.     It  was  in  the  forepart  of  winter 


* 


Xi 


'\t- 


.1  ^ 


/* 


I  (i»  ■(■ 


Mif 


•-'f     !«' 


120 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


1786,  aa  I  have  heard  tell.  Folks  down 
to  the  shore  thought  the  judge  was  pay- 
ing a  long  visit,  and  wondered  he  didn't 
»^  Qpme  back  ;  and  people  on  the  Hessian 
lime  road  thought  it  was  a  long  time 
since  he  had  gone  home,  and  wondered 
he  didn't  come  to  see  them  again.  At 
last  it  was  as  clear  as  mud  he  was  miss- 
ing. Some  thought  he  had  got  lost  in 
the  woods,  others  thought  he  had  got 
scalped  and  killed  by  the  Indians,  and 
some  reckoned  he  had  got  a  cold  should- 
er from  Minna  Vroom,  and  that  be  bad 
taken  it  so  much  to  heart  he  had  left 
the  country;  and  nobody  knew  any 
thing  for  sartain. 

"  Well,  days  and  weeks  passed  on  and 

tassed  on,  and  no  tidings  was  ever 
eard  of  him,  and  at  last  folks  gave 
over  talking  of  him,  and  he  was  sort  of 
forgot  and  out  of  mind.  For  Time,  like 
the  big  roller  of  the  Agricultural  Socie- 
ty, as  it  rolls  on,  fetches  all  things  to  a 
level,  or  presses  them  into  the  earth  out 
of  sight,  so  that  they  don't  attract  atten- 
tion no  more.  And  queer  sort  of  farm- 
ers, books  make  too  :  first  they  plough 
up  land  to  make  it  loose  and  light,  and 
then  they  roll  it  as  hard  as  ever  and 
undo  all  they  have  done,  and  that  they 
call  science ;  and  it  may  be  science,  but 
it  ain't  common  sense,  and  don't  stand 
to  reason.  But  that's  neither  here  nor 
there,  and,  as  I  was  a-saying,  one  day 
the  next  spring,  just  as  the  lakes  had 
opened,  Frederic  Crowso  was  ranging 
about  the  woods  for  a  stick  to  make  ox- 
bows of,  when  who  should  he  see  in  the 
middle  of  the  great  lake  near  the  Hes- 
sian road  but  Judge  Beler,  seated  as 
quiet  and  as  nateral  on  his  horse  as  lif^ ! 
There  wa"  a  little  wind  at  the  time,  and 
a  ripple  on  the  water,  and  the  judge 
was  riding  with  hia  head  towards  home, 
and  his  horse  making  a  slow  motion 
like  a  canter,  but  not  advancing  forward 
a  bit.  At  first  he  thought  he  was  swim- 
ming the  lake,  for  that  would  make  a 
very  short  cut  for  him,  and  he  stood 
awhile  and  stared  at  him ;  but  sccin' 
tliat  he  didn't  go  ahead,  he  called  out 
to  him  as  loud  as  he  could  call. 

"'Judge!'  said  he;    but  the  judge 
dld'nt  look  round. 


aquire 


" '  Squire !'  said  he ;   but  the 
did'nt  speak. 

"'Mr.  Beler  I'  said  he;  but  Mr.  Be- 
ler  didn't  answer,  but  just  went  on  ris- 
ing and  bending  to  every  wave  like  a 
bow  of  the  body,  but  still  remaining  ia 
one  spot 

"  *  Good  gracious !'  says  Fred  to  him. 
self;  'the  water  is  so  shocking  cold  at 
this  season  of  the  year  it  has  almost 
chilled  him  to  death.  What  onder  the 
sun  shall  I  do  V 

"  Well,  away  he  went  as  hard  as  he 
could  run  for  his  life,  and  alarmed  all 
the  neighbors,  and  down  they  came, 
with  axes,  and  ropes,  and  tools,  and 
what  not,  and  made  a  raft,  and  put  off 
into  the  lake  to  help  him.  The  sun 
was  just  then  setting  as  they  shoved 
out  from  the  shore,  and  when  they  got 
about  halfway  to  him  they  saw  that  his 
eyes  were  gone,  and  his  face  was  all 
swelled,  and  his  flesh  was  bleached,  and 
bloated,  and  slimy,  and  that  he  looked 
awful  bad ;  and  they  were  dreadfully 
frightened." 

"0,  my!"  said  Miss  Lucy,  "how 
horrid  I  But  it's  a  beautiful  story :  go 
on !"  And  she  drew  her  chair  nearer 
to  Richardson. 

"  Well,  they  were  skeered  to  go  np 
to  him,"  continued  Stephen,  "  and  they 
stopped  awed  like,  and  gazed  and  gazed 
without  saying  a  word  ;  and  when  they 
give  over  rowing,  the  judge  and  his 
horse  gradually  settled  down,  slowly— 
slowly — slowly,  until  nothin'  but  his 
head  was  above  water,  and  then  he  re- 
mained a  minute  or  two  longer,  as  if  he 
didn't  like  to  leave  his  old  friends  for 
ever  and  ever,  and  down  he  went  alto 
gether,  and  sunk  to  the  bottom. 

"  It  would  have  been  no  ^ore  than 
decent  and  neighborly,  perhaps,"  he 
added,  "  to  have  fished  him  up  and  given 
him  Christian  burial.  But  I  wo'nt  say 
fished  him  up,  neither ;  for,  poor  man, 
ho  was  passed  that,  I  guess,  unless  they 
had  baited  their  hook  with  Minna 
Vroom,  and  that  would  have  made  him 

J'ump  out  of  the  water  like  a  salmon, 
do  suppose.     Many  a  man  has  been 

caught" 

"Why,  Mr.   Richardson,  how   you 


*- 


iUt  the 


aquire 


;  but  Mr.  Be- 
st went  on  ris- 
y  wave  like  a 
remaining  in 

B  Fred  to  him< 
icking  cold  at 
it  has  almost 
''hat  onder  the 

3,a  hard  as  lie 
d  alarmed  all 
n  they  came, 
nd  tools,  and 
Ft,  and  put  off 
lim.  The  sun 
,s  they  shoved 
when  they  got 
ey  saw  that  his 
9  face  was  all 
)  bleached,  and 
that  he  looked 
ere  dreadfully 

3  Lucy,  "how 
tiful  story:  go 
chair  nearer 

jered  to  go  np 
len,  "  and  they 
azed  and  gazed 
and  when  they 
judge  and  his 
down,  slowly— 
othin'  but  his 
id  then  he  re- 
longer,  as  if  he 
old  friends  for 

he  went  alto 
bottom. 

no  ^ore  than 

perhaps,"  ho 

im  up  and  given 

^ut  I  wo'nt  say 

for,  poor  man, 
ess,  unless  they 
c  with  Minna 
have  made  him 
like  a  salmon, 

man  has  been 

son,  how   you 


JUDGE  BELER'S  GHOST. 


121 


talk !"  said  Miss  Lucy ;  "  it's  actually 
ondecent  that — it's  shocking !  Tou 
ought  to  be  ashamed  of  yourself,  so  you 
ought." 

'•  Well,  grappled  him  up,  then,"  he 
said ;  "  for  folks  that  are  neglected  that 
way  by  all  the  world,  except  by  frogs 
and  poUywogs,  are  oncasy,  and  walk, 
and  he  has  terrified  the  wholo  country 
ever  since.  The  old  stock  of  them  that 
knew  him  never  mentioned  him  with- 
out fear,  and  some  said  that  they  had 
actually  seen  him  afterwards  in  that 
lake  (which  now  goes  by  ithe  nan)e,  and 
I  suppose  always  will,  of  Beler's  Lake). 
Well,  the  next  generation,  though  they 
began  to  frighten  children,  by  telling 
them  they  would  send  for  the  Judge  if 
they  behaved  bad,  soon  gave  over  that 
sort  of  idle  talk,  and  said  there  was  no 
doubt  he  was  up  and  stirring  sometimes. 
Many  people  declared  that  they  had 
heard  him  in  the  winter  time  mutter- 
ing under  the  ice  in  some  unknown 
tongue,  for  the  German  language  has 
long  since  gone  out  in  those  parts.  I 
know  my  father  said  he  oncet  see'd  him 
gallop  like  mad  on  his  old  black  mare 
across  that  lake  in  a  snow  squall,  and 
sink  through  the  ice  with  a  report  like 
a  cannon.  And  old  Dr.  Boehme  said, 
he  had  known  strange  noises  there  nnite 
near,  and  when  he'd  stop  to  listen,  lie 
would  hear  the  same  at  the  other  end  of 
the  lake,  as  if  he  was  trying  to  get 
through  ;  and  then  he  would  hear  him 
strike  the  bottom  of  the  ice  with  his  fist 
such  a  blow  that  it  seemed  as  if  it  would 
crack  it  clear  across,  though  it  was 
three  feet  thick. 

"  Well,  I  never  met  that  man  yet 
that  I  was  afraid  of;  and  as  for  ghosts, 
I  never  see  one  in  all  my  born  days, 
and  didn't  bolicvo  tliere  was  any,  and 
therefore  couldn't  tell  whether  1  was 
skeered  or  not.  Still,  somehow  or  an- 
other, it  was  a  molunclioly,  dismal  place, 
for  no  one  would  settle  near  it,  and  1 
can't  say  I  much  liked  going  by  there 
alone,  for  it  ain't  pleasant  to  think  of 
spirits  and  such  things  in  the  dark  if 
you  have  no  one  to  talk  to.  I  wo'nt 
say  nether  I  haven't  heard  those  noises 
myself,  especially   when    the    lake    is 


a-going  to  break  u|-  in  the  spring ;  and 
I  have  heard  8on?3  of  tho^se  awful  re- 
ports like  thunder  in  the  ice  too,  but  I 
am  not  certain  I  haven't  heard  the 
same  under  other  lakes ;  at  all  events, 
though  they  made  me  feel  kind  of  se- 
rious like,  they  never  skeered  me. 
Well,  one  night — it  was  on  the  17th  of 
March,  I  recollect  the  day,  for  I  was  at 
Pat  Doyle's  that  afternoon  at  Digby, 
and  he  said  it  was  St.  Patrick's  day, 
and  I  drank  a  considerable  some,  though 
not  to  say  I  warn't  sober  nether — when 
I  came  to  the  lake,  it  was  a  little  after 
daylight  down,  just  twilight  enough  to 
see  the  road,  and  much  as  a  bargain 
too,  when  I  heard  this  rumbling  under 
the  ice,  a  rolling,  moaning,  hoarse,  on- 
natural  kind  of  sound,  and  then  came 
one  of  those  cracks  that  go  off  like  a 
twelve-pounder. 

"  '  Hallo !'  says  I  to  myself,  '  the  old 
judge  is  oneasy  to-night ;  howsumever, 
I  never  hurt  a  hair  of  his  head,  and  he 
has  no  call  to  me,  good  or  bad ;  so,  dead 
or  alive,  I  don't  fear  him.' 

"  Just  then  I  sartainly  did  hear  a 
most  powerful  yell.  It  went  through 
me  like  lightning,  and  seemed  to  curdle 
my  very  blood.  0 !  it  was  an  awful 
scream,  you  may  depend,  and  seemed 
onearthly  like,  or  as  if  the  devil  was  in 
the  unburied  human  that  gave  it.  I 
stopped  a  moment,  and  all  was  still 
again,  but  the  hollow,  rumblin'  echo- 
like voice  under  the  ice. 

"'What  in  the  world  is  all  this?" 
says  I  to  m-yself ;  'as  sure  as  fate  Be- 
ler's ghost  is  no  joke,  but  downright 
reality.  There's  no  mistake.  1 11  take 
my  oath  I  heard  that  scream  of  his,  and 
I  think,  Steve,  you  had  better  be  a-jog- 
ging  on  towards  home,  or  you  may  hear 
what  ain't  good  for  your  hearing,  and 
see  what  ain't  good  for  sore  eyes.' 

"  So  I  just  gave  the  beast  a  tap  of  the 
whip  and  moved  on.  Well,  as  soon  as 
you  leave  the  lake  you  come  to  a  sharp 
pinch  of  a  hill,  and  then  you  go  down 
into  a  steep,  heavy-wooded  hollow,  and 
then  mount  another  smart  hill  and  pass 
on.  This  happened  twenty-five  years 
ago  next  March,  awl  at  that  time  it 
was  still  little  more  than  a  bridlc-pathj 


t\ 


fS'^i> 


?*>■■•• 


4'*' 


..* 


••4 


I 


h:tf 


■  \% 


122 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


and  the  trees  lapped  across  it  in  places. 
Now  in  that  hollow  two  large  hemlocks 
had  got  canted  well  over  on  one  side, 
windfalls  like,  and  were  catohed  by  two 
large  spnices  on  the  other;  so  there 
was  just  room  to  stoop  low  down  on  the 
saddle  and  squeeze  under,  and  much  as 
ovei  too — almost  a  scrape.  Having  rid 
that  way  in  the  morning  I  knew  the 
track,  kept  to  the  left,  bent  forward  on 
the  neck  of  the  horse,  and  went  through. 
Just  as  I  cleverly  cleared  it,  old  Beler 
sprung  right  on  the  crupper,  seized  me 
round  the  waist,  and  yelled  just  as  he 
did  when  he  got  out  of  the  lake,  first  in 
one  ear  and  then  in  the  other.  O,  how 
the  woods  rung!  His  breath  was  so 
hot  it  most  scalded  me,  and  the  scream 
out  me  through  the  head  like  a  knife  ; 
and  then  he  clasped  me  so  tight  round 
the  body,  he  near  about  squeezed  the 
wind  out  of  me.  If  I  didn't  sing  out 
it's  a  pity,  and  the  more  I  hollered  the 
louder  he  shrieked.  I  wo'nt  pretend 
for  to  go  for  to  say  that  I  warn't  fright- 
ened, because  that  wouldn't  be  true ;  I 
was  properly  skeered,  that's  a  fact.  I 
expected  every  minute  to  be  clawed  off, 
and  plunged  into  the  lake.  I  didn't 
know  what  to  do.  Human  strength  I 
knew  was  of  no  avail  agin  supernateral 
beings,  so  I  took  to  prayer. 

*'*  Our  Father ,'  says  I. 

"  The  moment  I  said  that  he  let  go 
yellin',  and  seized  me  by  the  nape  of 
the  neck  with  his  teeth,  and  bit  right 
through  the  grizzle.  O,  it  was  "a  pow- 
erful nip  that  I  the  pain  was  enough  to 
drive  one  mad,  apd  I  fairly  roared  like 
a  bull,  it  hurt  me  so. 

"In  the  mean  time,  the  horse  began 
to  rear  and  plunge  most  furiously ;  for 
the  poor  dumb  animal  knew  as  well  as 
oould  be  it  had  a  ghost-rider  besides  its 
lawful  master  to  carry.  At  last  it 
kicked  so  like  old  Scratch  it  sent  us 
both  flying  heels  over  head,  the  judge 
on  one  .side  and  me  on  the  other  of  it. 
I  fortunately  held  on  to  the  rein,  and 
jumped  up  like  winkin',  and  the  horse 
stood  head  to  him,  snorting  and  blow- 
ing like  a  porpoise.  1  shall  never  for- 
get that  scene  the  longest  day  I  ever 
uve.     The  iudgo   had  uo  bat  on ;  his 


face  was  all  hairy  and  slimy ;  his  eyei 
looked  like  some  wild  animal's,  they 
had  such  a  fiery,  restless,  wicked  glance, 
which  I  expect  wa.s  the  ghost  looking 
out  of  the  dead  sockets  of  the  unburied 
skeleton — at  least,  that's  my  idea  of  it ; 
and  his  teeth  was  the  only  white-look- 
ing thing  about  him :  but  then  teeth 
last  a  long  time,  particularly  when  kept 
from  the  air  under  water  in  the  long 
matted  grass  and  lily-roots.  I  hardly 
got  a  real  good  look  at  him  before  he 
rolled  himself  up  into  a  ball  like  a  porcu- 

fine,  and  shrieked — 0,  how  he  shrieked ! 
heard  him  afterwivrds  for  the  matter 
of  three  or  four  minutes  (for  you  may 
depend  I  didn't  stay  to  keep  him  com- 
pany longer  than  I  could  help),  while  I 
was  galloping  off  as  hard  as  ever  my 
horse  could  lay  legs  to  the  ground.  I 
wouldn't/  encounter  that  old  judge  agin 
for  any  thing  in  this  blessed  world. 
That's  the  first,  and  the  last,  and  the 
only  time  I  ever  see  a  ghost ;  and  I 
never  desire  to  see  another." 

"  What  did  your  neighbors  think  of 
that  story  ?"  said  Barclay. 

"  Well,  I  didn't  want  to  brag,"  said 
Stephen,  "  but,  since  you've  axed  the 
question,  this  I  will  say  for  myself, 
there  never  was  a  man  in  the  whole 
county  of  Annapolis  that  so  much  as 
even  hinted  that  he  didn't  believe  it, 
except  old  Parson  Rogers  of  Digby; 
and  plague  take  me  if  I  think  them 
ministers  believe  half  they  preach  them- 
selves, they  are  so  loath  to  believe  other 
folks.  The  parson  one  day  jist  up  and 
axed  me  all  about  it. 

"  '  Steve,'  says  ho,  '  they  tell  me  you 
have  seen  the  old  judge,  is  that  true?' 

"  '  0,  parson  !'  says  I,  '  now  you  are 
only  agoin'  for  to  banter  mo ;  let  me 
alone  now,  that's  a  good  soul,  for  that 
ain't  a  subject  to  banter  on,  and  I  might 
say  something  I  would  be  sorry  for, 
perhaps.' 

"  '  I  am  not  a  going  to  teaze  you, 
Stephen,'  he  said ;  '  I  really  want  to 
hoar  it  as  it  happened,  if  it  ever  diJ 
happen.  They  say  you  had  a  hard 
struggle  with  him,  is  that  true?' 

"  '  True  as  go&pol.'  says  I. 

"  '  Were  you  quite  sober  that  night, 


Steve  ?'  fi 
times  see 
« '  See 
gee  him,  1 
where  he 
me !'  and 
the  scars 
says  I. 

"'I  m 

teeth  befo 

vokin'  coo 

"'Did; 

come,  now 

«'No,'( 

never  exp< 

'"How 

says  I,  ^M 

not?   But 

and  I  can  s 

sharp  ones, 

kettle,  and 

as  a  bear.' 

"'Steph 

think  you  } 

"'Frighi 

to  get  cross 

go  for  to  t 

not  to  knoY 

— '  Frighte 

more  than 

me,  thougl 

i^ainst  the! 

since  I  wasi 

Beler's  Lai 

I  if  the  judf 

and  a  stirril 

dervalue  hif 


aors  think  of 


JUDGE  BELER'S  GHOST. 


t23 


Steye  T'  said  he ;  '  you  know  folks  some- 
times see  double  on  St.  Patrick's  day  V 

" '  See !'  says  I,  '  parson  ;  '  I  not  only 
gee  him,  but  felt  him  too.  Look  here, 
where  he  left  the  marks  of  his  teeth  on 
me !'  and  I  stripped  and  showed  him 
the  scars.  '  Do  you  believe  now  V 
says  I. 

"'I  never  heard  that  ghosts  had 
teeth  before,  Steve,'  said  he,  most  pro- 
vokin'  cool — '  no,  never.' 

" '  Did  you  over  see  one  ?'  says  I ;  'so 
oome,  now,  answer  me  that.' 

"'No,'  says  he,  'I  never  saw  one, and 
never  expect  to.' 

"  'How  the  plague  can  you  tell,  then,' 
says  I,  '  whether  they  have  teeth  or 
not  ?  But  I  have  seen  one,  do  ye  mind ; 
and  I  can  swear  they  have  teeth — plaguy 
sharp  ones,  too — breath  as  hot  as  a  tea- 
kettle, and  claws  as  long  and  as  strong 
as  a  bear.' 

" '  Stephen,'  said  he, '  my  son, I  didn't 
think  you  were  so  easily  frightened.' 

" '  Frightened  !'  says  I,  and  I  began 
to  get  cross  with  his  banter,  as  if  I  would 
go  for  to  tell  a  lie.  or  be  such  a  fool  as 
not  to  know  what  I  was  a  talking  about 
— '  Frightened,  is  it  ?'  said  I ;  '  it's 
more  than  ever  you  could  do  to  skeer 
me,  though  you  have  been  preaohin' 
against  the  devil  and  all  his  imps  ever 
since  I  was  born.  But  do  you  go  to 
Beler's  Lake  on  St.  Patrick's  night,  and 
if  the  judge  is  to  home,  and  a  talking 
and  a  stirring  under  water,  do  you  un- 
dervalue him  as  I  did,  and  eaj  you  ain't 


afraid  of  him,  dead  or  alive,  and  if  ho 
don't  frighten  you  into  believing  what 
you  hear,  and  believing  what  you  see, 
and  into  knowing  the  difference  between 
a  bite  and  a  kiss,  then  you  are  a  braver 
man  than  I  take  you  to  be,  that's  all' 

"  '  I'll  go.  with  you  the  next  17th  day 
of  March,'  said  he. 

"  '  Thank  you,'  says  I,  '  I'd  rather  be 
excused.' 

"  '  Well,  I'll  go  with  or  without  you, 
just  as  you  please,  on  the  17  th  of  next 
March,  if  you  will  first  go  to  Nick  Wy- 
land's,  and  see  that  Colonel  Brown's 
crazy  boy  (the  one  that  roasted  his 
brother)  is  well  chained  up.  It's  my 
opinion  that  that  mischievous  maniac 
broke  loose,  or  slipped  out  that  night, 
and  attacked  you ;  and  the  only  wonder 
is  that,  with  hia  superhuman  strength, 
he  did  not  kill  you.  You  had  a  great 
escape.     But  as  for  a  ghost,  Steve' 

"'Parson,'  says  I,  'do  you  believe 
the  Bible?' 

"  '  Yes,'  says  he,  *  I  do.' 

"  '  Well,  then,'  says  I,  '  I  believe  in 
Judge  Beler's  ghost.  I  have  seen  him, 
and  heard  him,  and  felt  him,  and  have 
the  marks  to  prove  it.  You  are  Parson 
Rogers,  ain't  you  V 

" '  Yes.' 

"  '  Well,  so  you  are  ;  but  how  do  I 
know  it  ?  Because  I've  seen  you,  heard 
you,  and  felt  you.  Well,  that's  the  way 
I  know  the  ghost.  I  tell  you  I  have 
heard,  seen,  and  felt  Judge  Beler's 
ghost.' " 


M.«^'','il'"  ' 


!    ♦'" 


CJ,I 


•^..■ff' 


4..? 


^4 


:* 


1 

r 


?* 


THE  KEEPING-ROOM  OF  AN  INN. 


No.  It— SEEING  THE  DEVIL 


■!•*       * 


4. 


■'•  '-v 


« 


Miss  Lucy,  who  had  listened  with 
givat  interest  and  attention  to  Richard- 
Boq's  story  of  Judge  Beler's  Ghost,  pro- 
nounced it  "  beautiful !" 

"  0,  Mr.  Stephen,"  she  said,  "  that  is 
a  charming  tale  I  There  is  nothing  in 
natur  I  am  so  fond  of  as  a  good  ghost 
story;  it  is  so  exciting:  although  I 
don't  just  altogether  like  to  hear  them 
too  late  at  night,  neither  before  going 
to  bed,  for  they  are  apt  to  keep  one 
awake  or  set  one  a-dreaming.  That 
part  of  it  where  the  judge  rises  from 
the  lake,  a-cantering  on  his  mare,  and 
never  going  a-head,  like  a  rocking-horse, 
is  grand ;  and  so  is  that  part  whore  the 
people  on  the  raft  first  see  that  it  is  not 
a  living  being,  but  a  ghost  or  a  dead 
human,  and  suddenly  stop  rowing,  and 
stare  and  stare  at  him  with  all  their 
eyes,  until  he  slowly  sinks  out  of  sight 
for  ever!  What  a  pictur  that  would 
make,  if  there  was  any  one  that  could 
take  it  off  naterally  I  I  think  I  can  see 
it  and  the  lone  dismal  lake  just  as  you 
have  described  it.  And  then  agin, 
when  the  ghost  comes  through  the  ice 
with  a  noise  like  thunder,  jumps  up  be- 
hind you  on  tne  horse,  and  screams  and 
yells  like  mad,  and  seizes  you  by  the  nape 
of  the  neck  with  his  teeth,  and  you  so 
scared  all  the  time !  0,  it's  fun  alive ! 
It  beats  all.     It's" 

"  You  wouldn't  have  found  it  such 
fun  then,"  said  Mr.  Steplicn,  "  I  can 
tell  you.  if  you  had  a-beeu  there  ;  for 
he  would  have  just  turned  too  and  eat 
you  up  at  oncost,  like  a  ripe  peach ! 
He  found  me  rather  tough,  I  reckon ; 
bui  if  it  had  been  your  beautiful  tempt- 
ing neck,  Miss  Lucy,  he'd  a-never  a-left 
off,  after  he  had  once  a-got  a  taste  of  it. 


until  he  had  finished  it,  I  know !     If  I 
was  a  young  man,  I" 


•'  Which  you  ain't,"  said  Miss  Lucy; 
"and  so  there  is  no  excuse  for  your 
talking  such  nonsense ;  so  be  done  now. 
But  the  part  I  don't  like  is  the  talk  you 
had  with  the  parson  at  Digby,  for  that 
seems  to  throw  a  doubt  on  it,  or  to  ex- 
plain it.  Now  I  don't  want  to  hear  a 
good  ghost  story  cleared  up.  I  do  be- 
lieve in  them,  and  I  like  to  believe  in 
them.  Spirits  ain't  permitted,  accord- 
ing to  my  idea,  to  wander  about  the 
earth  merely  to  scare  decent  folks  out 
of  their  senses,  but  for  some  good  pur- 
pose or  another ;  and  although  we  can't 
always  see  them,  who  can  tell  that  they 
don't  surround  us,  notwithstanding, 
watching  over  us  when  asleep,  guard* 
ing  our  steps,  shielding  us  from  evil, 
and  putting  good  thoughts  in  our 
minds  ?    That's  my  belief,  at  any  rate." 

"•  And  a  very  sublime,  beautiful,  and 
poetical  belief  it  is,  too.  Miss  Lucy," 
said  the  little  man  -in  black,  whom 
Richardson  denominated  Broadcloth, 
but  whose  real  name  1  found  was  Lay- 
ton  ;  "  I  sympathize  with  you  in  that 
rational,  sensible,  and  agreeable  theory. 
The  very  idea  of  holding  communion 
with  ethereal  spirits  ha.s  something 
elevating^  and  ennobling  in  it.  I  be^ 
lieve  in  them,  and  should  like  to  se« 
them  about  me  and  my  couch.  We 
read  that,  in  the  olden  time,. angels 
visited  the  earth  and  conversed  freely 
with  mortals." 

"  Celestial  being.s  ?  Celestial  non- 
sense I"  said  Mr.  Stephen.  "  You're 
a  pretty  fellow  to  encounter  ghosts, 
ain't  you  ?  Why,  man  alive,  you'd  go 
mad  or  die  of  fright  in  a  week,  if  your 


wl 


know !     If  1 

d  Miss  Lucy; 
Buse  for  your 
)  be  done  now, 
8  the  talk  you 
•igby,  for  that 
m  it,  or  to  ex- 
int  to  hear  a 
up.  I  do  be- 
to  believe  in 
nitted,  accord- 
ler  about,  the 
sent  folks  out 
ome  good  pur- 
lough  we  can't 

I  tell  that  they 
itwithstanding, 

asleep,  guard* 
us  from  evil, 
)ughts  in  our 
f,  at  any  rate." 
beautiful,  and 
),  Miss  Lucy," 
black,  whom 
id  Broadcloth, 
bund  was  Lay- 
h  you  in  that 
reeable  theory, 
ig  communion 
las  something 
5  in  it.  I  be' 
lid  like  to  se« 
y  couch.     We 

II  time, .  angels 
•nversed  freely 

Celestial  non- 
ihcu.  "  You're 
lounter  ghosts, 
alive,  you'd  go 
a  week,  if  your 


SEEING  THE  DEVIL. 


125 


wishes  were  fulfilled ;  you  would,  upoa 
my  soul  1  You  are  the  last  man  in  the 
world  to  want  to  see  apparitions,  1  can 
tell  you.  Now,  just  look  here,  Miss 
Lucy.  Broadcloth  married  his  third 
wife  last  fall,  and  a  nice,  tidy,  smart, 
managing  body  she  is,  too,  as  you  will 
gee  between  this  and  Annapolis  county 
line.  The  only  sensible  thing  he  ever 
did  was  to  marry  her,  and  the  only  on- 
sensible  thing  she  ever  did  was  to  take 
up  with  the  like  of  him  !" 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  said  Layton.  "  I 
am  much  obliged  to  you  for  the  compli- 
ment." 

"  0,  not  at  all,"  coolly  rejoined  Mr. 
Stephen.  "  I  mean  what  I  say.  I  never 
flatter,  and  when  I  say  civil  things  like 
that  people  are  welcome  to  them,  for 
they  deserve  them.  Now,  Miss  Lucy, 
just  fancy  this  beautiful  bridegroom  on- 
dressing  himself,  blowing  out  his  candle, 
and  hopping  into  bed  !" 

"  Why,  Mr.  Stephen,  ain't  you  asham- 
ed," she  said,  "  to  talk  so  V 

"  And  hopping  into  bed  like  a  frog 
on  all  fours,  when,  lo  and  behold !  if 
he'd  his  way  about  spirits,  he  would  see 
two  ghosts  standing  at  the  foot  of  his 
bedstead,  grinning  horribly,  and  stretch- 
ing out  their  long,  thin,  bony  arms,  and 
shaking  their  rattling  skinny  fists,  and 
making  all  sorts  of  ugly  faces  at  him  and 
his  bride,  or  beckoning  him  this  way 
with  their  hands  "  (and  he  got  up,  and 
stooping  forward,  suited  the  action  to 
the  word),  "  looking  enticing-like,  and 
waving  him  to  come,  and  follow  them 
to  the  cold  damp  grave,  and  sing  ditties 
there  through  bis  nose  with  them  in 
chorus,  with  earwigs  and  toads.  0, 
yes,  by  all  means,  it's  well  worth  while 
for  a  man  who  has  married  three  wives 
to  talk  of  living  with  ghosts,  ain't  it  ? 
Or  jist  suppose  now" 

"  Have  the  goodness,  Mr.  Richardson," 
«aid  the  Lctu  man,  "to  make  your  sup- 
positions Iciss  personal  and  less  o£Pensive, 
if  you  please,  sir  ;  your  conversation  is 
very  disagreeable." 

But  the  incorrigible  talker  went  on 
without  attending  to  him — 

"Or  jist  suppose  him  going  across 
the  Devil's  Goose  Pasture  at  night !" 


"The  Devil's  Goose 
Miss  Lucy;    "what 


Pasture !"  said 
in  natur  is  that? 
What  under  the  sun  do  you  mean  ?" 

"  The  great  Aylsford  sand-plain," 
said  Stephen  ;  "  folks  call  it  in  a  gini- 
ral  way  '  the  Devil's  Goose  Pasture.' 
It  is  thirteen  miles  long  and  seven  miles 
wide  ;  it  ain't  jist  drifting  sand,  but  it's 


all   but  that,  it's  so 


eaven,  or  wavy, 


like 


barren.     It's  on- 
the  swell  of  the 


sea  in  a  calm,  and  is  covered  with  short, 
dry,  thin,  coarse  grass,  and  dotted  here 
and  there  with  a  half-starved  birch  and 
a  stunted  misshapen  spruce.  Two  or 
three  hollow  places  hold  water  all 
through  the  summer,  and  the  whole 
plain  is  criss-crossed  with  cart  or  horse- 
tracks  in  all  directions.  It  is  jist  about 
as  silent,  and  lonesome,  and  desolate  a 
place  as  you  would  wish  to  see.  Each 
side  of  this  desert  are  some  most  royal 
farms,  some  of  the  best,  perhaps,  in  the 
province,  containing  the  rich  lowlands 
under  the  mountain ;  but  the  plain  is 
given  up  to  the  geese,  who  are  so 
wretched  poor  that  the  foxes  won't  eat 
them,  they  hurt  their  teeth  so  bad.  All 
that  country  thereabouts,  as  I  have 
heard  tell  when  I  was  a  boy,  was  oncost 
owned  by  the  lord,  the  king,  and  the 
devil.  The  glebe  lands  belonged  to  the 
first,  the  ungranted  wilderness  lands  to 
the  second,  and  the  sand  plain  fell  to 
the  share  of  the  last  (and  people  do  say 
the  old  gentleman  was  rather  done  in 
the  division,  but  that  is  neither  here  nor 
there),  and  so  it  is  called  to  this  day  the 
Devil's  Goose  Pasture.  Broaucloth 
lives  on  one  side  of  this  dry  paradise. 
Now,  just  suppose  him  crossing  it  to 
visit  a  neighbor  of  a  dusky  night,  when 
the  moon  looks  like  a  dose  of  castor  oil 
in  a  glass  of  cider" 

"  What  an  idea !"  said  Miss  Luoy ; 
"  well,  I  never  in  all  my  born  days ! 
did  you  ever  now !" 

"  When  all  of  a  sudden  down 

comes  two  ghosts  on  moonbeams,  (not 
side-saddle  fashion,  the  way  galls  ride, 
but  the  way  boys  coa.'^t  down  hill  on 
sleds,  belly-flounder-fashion),  and  lay 
right  hold  of  him  with  their  long,  damp, 
clammy,  cold  arms,  one  pulling  him  this 
way,  and  the  other  pulling  him  that  way 


t'?*'^. 


H-J.,.* 


,t  y 


¥ 


^^rv 


■w^\ 


«.' 


n* 


(4  4 


f'-y-f. 


*H    * 


126 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  OOLOIVT. 


■i— one  saying  '  You  shall,'  and  t'other 

■aying     'You    shan't' one    saying, 

*  Come  to  mo,'  and  t'other  saying, -Stay 
with  me ;'  and  he  a-saying, '  I  wish  old 
Nick  had  both  of  you!'  And  then  fan- 
cy, when  he  returns  home,  his  wife  say- 
ing— '  Broadcloth  !  who  were  those  two 
onruly,  onmannerly  galls,  that  was 
romping  so  ondeeent  in  Goose  Pasture  ? 
you  ought  to  be  ashamed  of  yourself,  so 
you  ought,  to  be  acting  that  way  I'  and 
he  afraid  to  tell  her,  and  she  growin 
jealous  and  he  a-growin  mad.  0,  yes, 
take  your  own  way,  Broadcloth,  invite 
ghosts  to  your  house ;  they  don't  cost 
nothing  to  feed  them,  and  they  have 
wings  instead  of  horses,  and  don't  want 
otcts.  They  are  cheap  guests,  and  very 
0ntertaining :  especially  to  a  lucky  dog 
like  you,  that  has  had  three  wives,  one 
reclining  alongside  of  you,  and  a-looking 
up  admiring  and  loving  into  your  eyes, 
as  much  as  to  say, '  Well,  they  don't 
look  a  bit  like  onripe  limes,  though  they 
be  a  little  yallow  or  so  ;'  and  two  other 
ladies  standing  near  you,  knowing  every 
thought,  hearing  every  word,  watching 
like  weasels,  and  as  jealous  as  all  na- 
tur.  O,  it  wouldn't  make  you  nervous 
a  bit  You  would  like  to  see  them  about 
your  couch,  I  know  you  would." 

"Mr.  Stephen,"  said  Layton,  rising 
in  great  anger,  "  this  is  too  bad  !  You 
first  tawe  the  liberty  to  drink  more  than 
any  two  men  can  stand,  and  then  talk 
in  a  style  that  no  man  in  the  world  can 
bear.  You  or  I  must  leave  this  room, 
that's  a  fact !" 

"  Lord  bless  you !"  said  Stephen, 
'*  there's  no  occasion  for  either  of  us  to 
leave  the  room  ;  it's  big  enough  for  both 
of  us.  I  didn't  mean  no  harm,  you 
know  that  as  well  as  I  do  ;  only  when  I 
hear  folks  a-talking  nonsense,  I  like  to 
rub  them  down  good-naturedly  a  little, 
that's  all.  I  won't  say  I  haven't  been 
drinking  a  little,  though ;  but  there  is 
no  danger  of  my  being  seized  for  it,  for 
all  that.  Lawyer,"  addressing  himself 
to  Barclay,  "  did  you  ever  hear  of  An- 
drew Wallace  seizing  a  man  that  was 
drunk  and  putting  him  up  at  auction  ? 
I  must  tell  you  that  story.  Squire  Wal- 
lace was  a  captain  in  the  militia ;  and 


one  day,  aftor  training  was  over,  and 
jist  before  the  mon  was  dismissed  from 
parade,  ho  took  a  sttnrd  with  him,  and 
made  a  prUonor  of  Pat  Sweeny,  whc 
was  a  most  noworful  drinker— drink  a8 
much  at  a  tfino  m  a  camel  amost. 

"  ♦  Fftt,'  Hftyn  ho, '  I  Hoiiso  you  in  the 
king's  name  I' 

*' '  Mo  I'  mvii  Pat,  nscratohing  of  hij 
head,  and  looking  all  abroad,  bewildered 
like ;  « I'm  not  a  iniugglor  I  Touch  me, 
if  you  daro !' 

"  » I  Mi7,e  you,'  nayi  he, '  for  a  viola- 
tion of  the  Exelie-law,  for  carrying 
about  you  more  than  a  gallon  of  rum 
without  ft  porinit,  and  tomorrow  I  shall 
sell  you  at  auction  to  the  highest  bidder. 
You  are  a  forfeited  article,  and  I  could 
knook  you  on  the  head  and  let  it  out, 
if  I  liked  ;  io  no  nonsense,  man  t'  And 
he  sent  him  off  to  kil,  screaming  and 
Bcreetohing  like  mad,  he  was  so  fright- 
ened. 

"  The,  next  day  Pat  was  put  up  at 
vandeu,  and  knooked  down  to  his  wife, 
who  bid  him  in  for  fortv  shillings.  It's 
generally  eonsiderod  the  greatest  rise 
ever  taken  out  of  a  man  in  this  country. 
Now,  1  am  in  no  danger  of  being  seized, 
though  I  won't  lav  but  what  I  have 
tasted  a  oonslderablo  some  several  times 
toda^,"  The  truth  is, Mr.  Richardson, 
notwithstandini  his  maxims  of  worldly 
wisdom,  to  whieh  ho  was  so  fond  of 
treating  hit  friends  when  away  frois 
home,  drank  freely,  His  head,  I  wan 
told,  Hoemod  able  to  rosist  the  utmost 
effects  of  liquor ;  and  although  he 
boasted  that  he  was  never  known  to  be 
drunk,  he  omitted  to  mention  that  he. 
nevortheloHB,  often  swallowed  as  much 
rum  in  a  day  as  would  intoxicate  three  or 
four  ordinary  men,  "  If  you  are  fond 
of  spirits,  ftroftdoloth,"  he  continued, 
"  I  adviso  you  to  loavo  glioats  alone,  and 
make  acuualntanoo  with  good  old  «la 
maioa  spirits.  Instead  of  frightening 
you  out  of  your  wits,  thoy  will  put  wit 
into  you,  and  that  won't  hurt  you  at  no 
time,  If  you  oontiuue  to  drink  cold 
water  muoli  longer,  my  boy,  your  tim 
hers  will  perish  of  the  dry-rotas  surea« 
you  are  born.  You  look  as  yaller  asi 
pond  lily  now :  and  it  is  all  owing  to 


SEEING  THE  DEVIL. 


127 


WM  over,  and 
lismiBsed  from 
with  him,  and 
Sweeny,  wk 
iker — drink  a» 
el  amost 
ho  you  in  the 

ratohing  of  his  I 
ond,  bewildered 
If  I     Touch  me, 

le, '  for  a  viola- 
f,  for  carrying! 
gallon  of  ram 
-morrow  I  shall ! 
)  highest  bidder, 
ole,  and  I  could  I 
and  let  it  out,  | 
ise,  man  I'   Am 
,  screaming  and  I 
s  was  BO  fright- 
was  put  up  at 
lown  to  his  wife, 
r  shillings.    It's 
le  greatest  rise 
I  in  this  country, 
r  of  being  seized, 
It  what  I  Havel 
me  several  times  | 
Ulr.  Richardson, 
xlms  of  worldly  I 
was  so  fond  of 
rhen  away  from 
lis  head,  I  wan 
iHiHt  the  utmost  I 
_    although  he 
vet  known  to  k 
mention  that  hr. 
illowod  as  mncli  I 
itoxicato  three  or 
tf  you  are  fond 
"  he   continued, 
jhosts  alone,  and 
\\  good  old  da- 
,  of  frightening 
10 V  will  put  wit  1 
t  hurt  you  at  no 
le  to  drink  cold| 
y  boy,  your  tim- . 
iry-rotas  sure  as 
ok  as  yaller  aB» 
is  nil  owing  to 


living  like  them,  on  bad  water.  Man 
was  never  made  to  drink  water,  or  Na- 
tur  would  have  put  him  on  all  fours, 
with  his  mouth  near  the  running  streams, 
Uke  all  animals  intended  to  use  it.  But 
man  was  calculated  to  stand  straight 
up  upon  his  pegs,  with  his  mug  as  far 
away  from  the  cold  springs  and  fish- 
spaway  brooks  as  po.ssible,  and  had  ap- 
ple-trees, and  sugcar-cancs,  and  barley, 
and  what  not,  given  him  ;  and  sense 
put  into  his  pate  to  distil  good  liquor 
from  them,  and  hanus  to  lift  it  up  to 
his  lips  when  made,  and  a  joint  in  his 
neck  to  bend  his  head  backward,  that  it 
might  slip  down  his  throat  easily  and 

Eleasantly ;  and  by  the  same  token, 
ere  is  your  good  health,  old  fellow,  and 
wishing  you  may  have  better  beverage 
in  future  than  horses  and  asses  have. 
Now  Jamaica  spirits  I  would  recom- 
mend to  you ;  but  as  for  ghosts  and 
onairthly  spirits,  why  a  fellow  like  you 
that  has  had  three  wives" 

Here  Layton  protested  so  strongly 
against  the  repetition  of  these  indecent 
sJlusions,  that  Miss  Lucy  interfered  in 
his  behalf,  and  forbade  Richardson  to 
3ontinue  his  annoyance;  and,  by  way 
of  changing  the  conversation,  asked  if 
any  other  person  in  the  company  knew 
a  good  ghost-story. 

"  Certainly,"  said  Stephen  ;  "  here  is 
my  old  friend  Thompson :  when  hp  was 
B  boy,  he  and  his  father  and  mother  saw 
the  devil  one*  night.  Fact,  I  assure  you, 
and  no  mistake !  Come,  Apple-Sarce," 
he  said,  tapping  a  stout,  good-looking 
countryman  on  the  shoulder,  "  tell  Miss 
Lucy  that  story  of  seeing  the  devil. 
It's  a  capital  one,  if  you  could  only  tell 
it  all  through  your  mouth,  instead  of 
letting  half  of  it  escape  through  your 
nose,  as  you  do." 

"  Seeing  the  devil ! "  said  Miss  Lucy ; 
"how  you  talk!" 

"  Yes,  the  real  old  gentleman,"  said 
Stephen  ;  "  horns,  hoof,  tail,  and  all !" 

"  Well  I  never,"  said  Miss  Lucy,  "  in 
all  my  born  days !  O,  that  must  be 
grand,  for  it's  niore  than  any  ghost- 
story!  O,  pray  tell  it,  Mr.  Thomp- 
son ;  do,  that's  a  good  soul !  wut  don't 
begin  it  just  yet,  please  ;  I  have  some 


small  chores  to  see  to  about  the  house, 
and  will  be  baok  in  a  few  minutes,  and 
I  wouldn't  miss  a  word  of  it  for  any 
thing!" 

During  the  pause  in  the  conversation 
occasioned  by  the  absence  of  Miss  Lucy, 
a  person  of  the  name  of  Bayley,  a  pas- 
senger in  the  "  Stage  Sleigh "  from  II- 
lenoo,  entered  tlie  room.  Barclay  im- 
mediately recognized  him  as  an  old  ac- 
quaintance ;  and  so  did  Richardson, 
who  appeared  to  know  every  body  in  the 
country.  After  their  mutual  greetings 
were  over,  Barclay  congratulated  him 
upon  having  received  the  appointment 
of  Collector  of  His  Majesty's  Customs 
at  the  port  of  Rainy  Cove.  Mr.  Bayley 
replied  that  he  was  sorry  to  inform'him 
that  he  had  been  superseded. 

'•  I  was,"  he  said,  "  as  you  may  sup- 
pose, very  strongly  recommended  by 
the  most  influential  people  at  Halifax, 
wlio  were  well  acquainted  with  my  fa- 
ther's long  and  valuable  services,  and 
my  own  strong  personal  claims ;  and 
was  nominated  by  the  head  of  the  de- 
partment, and  appointed  by  the  governor 
in  a  manner  that  was  particularly  grat- 
ifying to  my  feelings.  I  accordingly 
relinquished  my  ordinary  business,  and 
devoted  myself  to  the  duties  of  my  new 
ofiice.  I  held  the  situation  for  several 
months,  when  one  Sunday  night,  as  we 
were  just  rising  from  family  prayers  and 
about  to  retire,  I  heard  a  loud  knock- 
ing at  the  door.  A  stranger  entered 
and  informed  me  that  he  had  been  ap- 
pointed by  the  Board  in  England  (who 
claimed  the  patronage)  to  the  office  I 
held,  and  requested  me  to  deliver  up  to 
him  the  books  and  papers  of  the  depart- 
ment early  on  the  following  morning. 
Ill-judged  and  improper  as  the  time 
chosen  for  this  communication  was,  I 
was  pleased  that  it  was  so,  for  the  occu- 
pation in  which  we  had  all  just  been 
engaged  had  not  been  without  its  effect 
on  my  feelings,  and  I  was  enabled  to 
control  the  impatience  and  irritation  to 
which  I  might  otherwise  have  given 
vent,  and  refrain  from  saying  and  doing 
what  I  might  have  afterwards  regretted : 
for,  after  all,  he  was  in  no  way  to  blame, 
except,  perhaps,   for   an   unseasonable 


.»  ,  •» 


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IT  *i 


19(1 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


▼itlt.  It  hai,  howsTor,  been  a  serious 
injury  to  mo,  by  oausinff  me  to  relin- 
'IuInIi  a  buninoM  wbioh  I  find  it  very 
(lifliouU  in  rii|<ain,  and  ia  one  of  those 
thiiigN  of  which,  as  oolonists,  we  have 
great  reasmt  to  ootnplain."  ' 

"Squire,"  Hflid  Stephen,  "don't  you 
lire  at  tho  corner  of  King's  Street,  at 
RalrjyOovo?" 

"  f  do," 

"  And  ttln't  there  a  platform  to  the 
bouHO,  that  you  go  up  seven  or  eight 
•t<>pM  to  roaoh  the  front  door?" 

'^Thera  is." 

"  Tbon  I'll  tell  you  how  I'd  serve  a 
fellow  out  that  oame  to  me  of  a  Sunday 
night  to  gladden  my  heart  with  good 
news  liku  that  ohap.  First  I'd  take  him 
by  the  nape  of  the  neck  with  one  hand ; 
for  you  lee  there  is  a  collar  there,  and 
•  Wftiiteoat,  and  a  neckcloth,  and  a  shirt 
(if  the  feller  had  one  afore  he  oame  hero), 
and  all  them  make  a  good  strong  grip^ 
do  you  mark  7  and  then  I'd  take  him 
by  the  Mlaok  of  the  seat  of  his  trousers, 
wnieb  gives  another  good  hold  with  the 
Other  hand,  for  that  makes  a  good  bal- 
ance of  the  body,  and  then  I'd  swing 
bim  forward  this  way  (and  he  put  him- 
•elf  into  attitude  and  illustrated  the 
proooii) ;  and  I'd  say,  <  Warny  onoest,' 
(ben  I'd  swing  him  ahead  agin  with  a 
'  Warny  twicet,'  and  then  oncost  more 
with  ft  '  Warny  three  times  I '  By  this 
MO'Saw — do  you  mark? — I'd  get  the 
fall  sling  of  my  arms  with  all  the  weight 
of  my  body  and  his  too ;  and  then  I'd 
give  bim  his  last  shove  with  '  Here  yow 
go  I '  and  I'd  chuck  him  clean  across  the 
street  into  neighbor  Green's  porch,  and 
neighbor  Oreen  would  up  ana  kick  him 
right  into  the  road  without  ever  saying 
a  word,  for  smashing  his  stoop-door  in ; 
and  stranger.  £n|;lish-like,  would  turn 
to  and  give  htm  lip,  and  the  constable 
would  nab  him  and  lug  him  off  to  jail 
for  making  an  ondeccnt  noise  of  a  Sab- 
bath night.  I'd  work  it  so,  the  gentle- 
men of  Hainy  Cove  would  know  where 
to  find  bim,  to  call  upon  him  next  day 
and  welcome  him  to  their  town.  That's 
what  I  call  a  hard  case  of  yourn,  squire, 
■fid  I'd  like  to  see  the  feller  that  would 
(Siteb  me  a  case  like  that,  and  be  nim- 


ble enough  to  got  out  of  my  house  afora 
I  smaiihed  it  over  his  head,  I  knowl" 

The  very  proper  conduct  of  Mr.  Bay- 
ley  under  such  trying  circumstances, 
no  less  than  the  singular  language  of 
Bichardson,  induced  me,  after  we  retired 
from  the  keeping-room,  to  ask  some  ex- 
planation of  my  friend  Barclay  on  this 
subject.  He  informed  me  that,  until 
about  twenty  years  ago.  the  Oustom- 
house  establishment  in  this  colony  wu 
supported  by  fees  of  office,  whi^b  were 
then  commuted  by  the  province  for  an 
annual  payment  of  between  £7000  and 
£8000,  upon  the  understanding  that  the 

{)atronage  should  be  transferred  to  the 
ooal  government,  by  whom  the  officer! 
were  to  be  paid.     He  added,  that  the 
usual  course  is  for  the  head  of  the  de- 
partment at  Halifax  to  nominate  a  suit- 
able person  for  a  vacancy,  and  the  gov- 
ernor to  appoint ;  but  that  the  provin- 
cial commissions  to  oolonists  have  been 
so  often  superseded  of  late  in  the  most 
unceremonious  manner,  that  the  recent 
lieut«nant-governor   very   properly  re- 
fused to  have  any  thing  to  do  with  i 
patronage  that  was  only  calculated  to 
degrade  his  office,  and  diminish   his 
weight  and  influence  in  the  province. 
I  understand  that  this  improper  inter- 
ference of  the  Board  of  Customs  is  se- 
verely felt  and  loudly  complained  of  bj  j 
colonists  who,  unfortunately,  are  so  sit-  j 
uated  as  to  be  unable  to  obtain  any  em- 1 
ployment  or  promotion  out  of  their  own 
country,  and,  therefore,  very  naturall; 
feel  that  they  are  at  least  entitled  to 
those  offices,  the  salaries  of  which  tbej 
furnish  themselves.     But  this  is  foreign 
to  my  subject.     I  eive  the  conversation  | 
as  it  occurred ;  and  if  it  lacks  amuse- 
ment, it  may  furnish    information  to  I 
those  who  have  tho  power  to  set  the  I 
matter  right.  I 

When  our  young  hostess  returned.  I 
Bichardson  said —  •  I 

"Ah,  Miss  Lucy,  you  lost  a  capital! 
story  while  you  was  gone  I  This  gen-| 
tleman  here.  Squire  Bayley,  si^vr  th«l 
devil  also.  He  came  pop  into  his  honml 
oncest  of  a  Sunday  night,  in  the  sbapej 
of  a  cuAom-house  officer,  seesed  all  bill 
books,  papers,  and  income,  and  left  himl 


y  boaM  afon 

I  know  I" 
t  of  Mr.  Btj' 
troumstaDcea, 
language  of 
ter  we  retired 
ask  aomo  cz- 
irclay  on  tbig 
le  that,  until 
the   Custom- 
is  colony  wai 
whioh  were 
)Tinoe  for  an 
en  £7000  and 
nding  that  the 
iferred  to  the 
m  the  officen 
Ided,  that  the 
ead  of  the  de- 
ominate  a  suit- 
,  and  the  got- 
at  the  proyin- 
ists  have  been 
.te  in  the  most 
hat  the  recent 
y   properly  re- 
to  do  with  a 
y  calculated  to 
.  diminish   his 
1  the  province, 
.mproper  inter- 
Customs  is  le- 
»mplained  of  by 
tely,  are  so  sit- 
obtain  any  em- 
)ut  of  their  own 
very  naturally 
last  entitled  to 
3  of  which  tbe; 
it  this  is  foreign 
.he  conversation 
it  lacks  amuse- 
information  to 
to  set  the 


SEEING  THE  DEVIL. 


129 


{ttobing  hia  head  and  a  wondering 
[ere  he  was  to  find  employment  or 
read,  and  advised  him  to  go  to  bed  and 
It  his  prayers,  and  hoped  they  might 
him  much   good.     But    Thompson 
ire  seed    him    in   his  naked   truth. 
ome,  Applo-Sarco,  we  are  al#  ready 
.    Tell  us  your  story,  unless  you 
vet  your  whistle  first  with  a  little 
lody  and  water.     You  won't,  won't 
1    Then  I  will — so  here's  to  your 
health!     Now  go  on,  old  Walk- 
glow,  we  are  all  eyes  and  ears." 
When  I  was   a    boy,"    said    Mr. 
Iiompson,  "  I  used  to  live  at  a  place 
led  Horton  Corner.    I  dare  say  you 
ire  all  heard  of  it." 

0  Heard  of  it  I "  said  Richardson,  "  to 
gore  I  have.  I  knew  it  aforo  you 
ire  born.  It  was  then  called  the 
inl's  Half-Acre.  Such  an  awful  place 
ir  law,  gamblic',  drinkin',  fightin'  and 
irae-racin',  never  was  seen.  Father 
to  call  the  people  Horton-tots.  It 
iminds  me  of  a  drunken  old  rascal 
lied  Knox,  that  used  to  live  at  Anna- 
ilig.    He  took  a  day  oncest,  and  hawl- 

S~(l  np  all  of  a  sudden,  a  teetotaller,  and 
M  lectured ;  for  the  moment  a  feller 
eformf;  here,  he  turns  preacher,  on  the 
rinoiple  that  the  greater  the  sinner  the 
reater  the  saint. 

"'Well,'  8»ys  he, '  my  brethren,  when 
ased  to  be  drunk  about  the  streets, 
le  folks  called  me  that  old  blackguard 
[noz ;  when  I  left  off  drinking,  it  was 
Id  Knox ;  when  I  got  new  clothes,  it 


wer 


istess   returned. 


L  lost  a  capita! 
no  I  This  gen- 
Jayley,  suw  the 
)p  into  his  houM 
It,  in  the  shajM 
r,  seesed  all  hii 
[ne,  and  left  bio 


rag  Knox ;  and  now,  my  brethren,  I 
n  always  called  Mr.  Knox — this  is  the 
adder  of  virtue.' 

"  Now,  that's  the  case  with  your  Hor- 
on  Corner.  When  it  was  the  sink  of 
niqnity,  it  went  by  the  name  of  the 
levil's  Half- Acre ;  when  it  grew  a  lit- 
le  better,  it  was  Horton  Corner ;  and 
low  they  are  so  genteel,  nothing  will  do 
*ut  Kentville.  They  ought  to  have 
nade  old  Knox  custos  rogororum.'' 

"If  you  know  the  story,  Mr.  Stephen," 
aid  Thompson,  "  you  had  better  tell  it 
ourself" 

"Thank  you,"  said  Stephen.  "I 
Iknow  the  sum  total,  but  I  can't  put 
9 


down  the  figures.     Do  you  cipher  it  out 
your  own  way." 

"  Well,  as  I  was  a-sayin',  when  I  waa 
a  boy  I  lived  at  Horton  Corner,  now 
called  Kentville,  and  my  father  and 
mother  kept  a  public  house.  Father 
was  well  broughten  up,  and  was  a  very 
strict  and  pious  man.'' 

"Yes,"  said  Stephen;  "and,  like 
most  pious  men,  usea  to  charge  like  the 
devil." 

**  Mr.  Richardson,"  said  Thompson, 
very  angrily,  "  you  had  better  let  my 
father  alone  " 

"  Why,  confound  yoa,  man,"  replied 
Stephen,  "  I  have  got  the  marks  to  this 
day ;  if  I  was  to  home  I  could  show  you 
the  bill.  Fourpence  a  quart  for  oats, 
wine  measure,  and  the  oats  half  chaff 
You  had  better  say  nothin'  about  piety, 
old  Sugar-stick." 

"  Mr.  Richardson,  perhaps  you  wonld 
like  a  candle  to  go  to  b«d,''  said  Miss 
Lucy.  "It's  very  rude  of  yoa  to  talk 
that  way,  so  it  is ;  and  besidea,  it  spoils 
a  story  to  have  it  interrupted  all  the  time 
after  that  fashion." 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  miss,"  said  Ste- 
phen, "  I  didn't  mean  no  offence ;  and 
Thompson  knows  me  of  old :  it's  jist  a 
way  I  have,  bantering^like ;  nobody  minds 
me — they  know  it's  all  for  their  own 
good.  Howsomever,  go  it,  Thin-skin,"  he 
said,  slapping  Thompson  on  the  back,  "  I 
won't  stop  you  if  you  break  your  bridle 
and  run  away." 

"  On  Sunday,"  continued  Thompson, 
"  his  house  was  always  shut  up.  None 
of  the  folks  in  the  neighborhood  was 
ever  admitted  ;  and  no  liquor  was  sold 
on  no  account  to  nobody.  In  those  days 
there  warn't  much  travelling  at  any 
time,  and  on  Sunday  nobody  hardly 
travelled,  for  old  Squire  M'Monagle 
picked  them  up  at  Windsor  on  one  side, 
and  fined  them,  and  old  Colonel  Wilmot 
picked  'em  up  at  Aylesford  on  t'other 
side,  and  not  only  fined  them,  but  made 
them  attend  church  besides.  Officers 
and  lawyers  were  the  only  ones  amost 
that  broke  rule.  Every  ofiicer  drew 
his  sword,  and  swore  he  was  travelling 
express  on  king's  business,  and  magia- 


ift^^ 


t 

r 


i 


t^ 


t-* 


'•i*, 


ISO 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


m 


:1|' 


'•i 


'9      k  '* 


trates  were  af«ered  of  their  commisflions 
if  thoy  stopped  a  government  inessen- 

Ser.  And  every  lawyer  swore,  if  they 
ared  to  utop  him,  he'd  sue  both  magis- 
trate and  constable,  and  ruin  them  in 
flosts.  So  these  folks  were  the  only  ex- 
ception*)." 

"  I'll  tell  you  what  I  have  observed," 
laid  Stephen.  "  Lawyers  think  law  was 
made  for  every  one  else  to  mind  but 
themselves;  and  officers  have  no  law 
bat  honor,  which  means,  if  you  promise 
to  pay  a  debt,  you  needn't  keep  it,  un- 
less it's  for  money  lost  at  cards ;  but  if 
Tou  promise  to  shoot  a  man,  you  must 
keep  your  word  and  kill  him.  Now 
don't  say  a  word,  miss,  I  am  done ;  I'll 
shut  up  my  dam  shell — mum." 

**  Well,  father  did  not  like  to  refuse 
officers,  for  they  were  dangerous  men, 
and  might  be  on  king's  business." 

"  And  bled  freely,  says  you,"  added 
Mr.  Richardson,  with  a  wink. 

"  But  lawyers,  he  knew,  needn't  travel 
cf  •  Sunday  unless  they  liked,  and  when 
they  did  he  generally  gave  them  a  cold 
shoulder.  Well,  one  fine  summer  Sun- 
day, about  one  o'clock,  when  all  the 
folks  were  going  down  to  Mud  Greek, 
to  see  old  Witch  Wilson  dipt  (that 
Elder  Strong  had  converted  from  her 
wicked  ways),  who  should  arrive  at  our 
house  but  Lawyer  Scott  I  I  was  bat  a 
boy  at  the  time,  but  I  can  recollect 
him,  and  what  happened  then,  as  well 
as  if  it  was  yesterday.  He  was  a  tall, 
stout,  bony  man,  about  the  size  of  Ste- 
phen." 

"  And  why  don't  you  say  about  as 
handsome,  too?"  added  Richardson. 

"  With  light-colored  hair,  and  a  face 
somewhat  kinder  paled  by  study ;  a 
good-natured  body  in  a  general  way 
when  he  was  pleased,  but  an  awful  man 
when  he  w.is  angry.  They  say  he  was 
the  greatest  speaker  of  his  time,  and 
carried  all  afore  him  ;  and  that  when  he 
was  talking  to  a  jury  he  could  take  the 
opposite  lawyer  and  turn  him  inside  out 
like,  and  then  back  again,  as  easy  as  an 
old  stocking,  and  as  for  charac-ter,  he 
could  skin  a  man's  off,  and  tear  it  all 
into  little  pieces  as  small  as  bits  of  pa- 
per, jhatna  living  man  could  put  toge- 


ther again  ;    and   all  the   time  ua 
judges,  jury,  witnesses,  and  hoarorg  i 
with  laughter,  so  yow  could  hear  tjiej 
a  mile  off     The  whole  county  used  i 
attend  courts  in  those  days  to  hear  tbj 
sport.     Things  are  greatly  altered  no 
Lawyers  have  no  fun  in  em  no  vaon 
They  are  dry  sticks ;  and  if  any  og| 
makes  a  joke  the  judge  looks  as  sour  t 
if  he  had    swallowed  a  pint  of  Tingl 
gar." 

"They  are  like  your  old  '  DevirJ 
Half- Acre'  of  Horton  Corner,"  Bail 
Stephen.  "  They  have  got  so  infernif 
genteel  they  have  altered  their  nami 
and  very  natur.  Once  upon  a  timethel 
used  to  be  called  attorneys ;  now,  fori 
sooth,  they  are  solicitors  ;  formerly  thej] 
were  styled  lawyers,  but  now  nothing 
but  bannisters  will  do,  and  nice  bannit 
ters  they  are  for  a  fellar  to  lean  on  that'i 
going  down  stairs  to  the  devil." 

"  True,"  continued  Thompson, "  timi 
are  sadly  altered.  It  will  be  many 
long  day  before  you  see  the  like  of  oljl 
Lawyer  Scott.  Well,  he  drove  up 
the  door  in  a  gig — wagons  hadn't  coi 
into  fashion  then,  and  people  either  traj 
veiled  on  horseback  with  8addlebagg,oi 
in  gigs ;  but,  in  a  general  way,  pig-akin 
carried  the  day,  on  account  of  the  rough 
ness  of  the  roads — I  think  I  can  seej 
him  now,  with  his  great,  big;  bony,higlir| 
stepping,  bay  horse  (we  haven't  gol 
such  horses  no  more  now-a-days),  and 
his  littla^g  with  the  wooden  pig-yoke 
spring  (to  my  mind  the  easiest,  and 
lightest,  and  best  spring  ever  made  foi 
a  rough  country),  and  his  gun  and  b'u 
fishing-rod  fastened  crossways  to  the 
dash-board.  >  He  came  along  like  a 
whirlwind.  You  know  how  sandy  the 
flat  is  at  Kentville,  and  there  was  a  stiff 
breeze  a-blowing  at  the  time,  and  he 
always  travelled  at  a  smashing,  swing 
ing  trot ;  and  as  he  streaked  along  tlie 
road  the  dust  rose  like  a  cloud,  and  all 
you  could  see  was  a  flying  column  of 
drifting  sand.  Father  was  standing  at 
the  front  gate  when  he  reined  up  and 
alighted. 

"  '  How  are  you,  Thompson  ?'  said 
he ;  '  how  is  the  old  lady,  and  all  to 
home  today ?' 


*.    »►■ 


SEEING  THE  DEVIL. 


131 


"  '  None  th»  bettor  for  seeing  you  of 
t  Sunday,'  said  father,  quite  short. 

*'  There  is  your  pious  man  I*'  said 
Stephen. 

"  Well,  it  was  enough  to  make  him 
grumpy,  for  ho  had  got  his  go-to-meet- 
ing clothes  on,  and  all  the  world  was 
t-going  to  seo  the  old  witch  dipt ;  and 
mother  was  all  dressed,  and  was  to  spend 
afternoon  with  old  Mrs.  Fuller,  that 
married  her  sister's  husband's  brother — 
Crane  Fuller  that  was  ;  and  they  know- 
cd,  in  course,  that  they'd  have  to  go 
and  take  o£f  their  toggery  and  tend  on 
the  lawyer. 

'' '  VVhere  is  the  hired  man  t'  says 
Scott 

" '  Gone  to  meeting,*  says  father 

"•  Where's  the  boys,  then?'  said  he. 

** '  Gone  there,  too,'  said  the  old  gen- 
tleman. 

*• '  Well,  I'm  sorry  for  that,'  sayi 
lawyer.  '  Just  ontackle  this  horse  and 
put  him  up  yourself,  will  you  ? — that's 
a  good  fellow.' 

^ '  Thou  shalt  do  no  work,'  says  father, 
'thou,  nor  thy  servant,'  and  so  on,  all 
through  it. 

« '  I'll  tell  you  what,'  says  Scott ; '  by 
Jove  I  if  you  don't  go  this  minute,  and 
oaharniss  that  horse,  and  take  care  of 
him,'— and  he  went  to  the  gig  and  took 
out  his  horsewhip,  and  began  to  flourish 
it  over  father's  head,  with  the  lash 
looped  in,  club-like — if  you  don't  go  and 
take  that  horse,  I'll' 

"'What  will  you  do?'  says  father 
(for  he  was  clear-grit,  regular  iVew  Eng- 
land ginger).  So  turning  right  short 
round,  and  doublin'  up  his  fists,  '  What 
will  you  do,  sir  ?' 

"  There  was  your  pious  man  !"  said 
Stephen.  "  Jle  wouldn't  put  up  a  horse 
of  a  Sunday,  but  he'd  fight  like  a  game- 
cock for  half  nothin'.  Well  done,  old 
boy !  swear  your  father  was  a  pious 
man,  until  you  believe  it  yourself,  will 
you?" 

" '  What  will  you  do  ?'  says  father. 
« <  Why,  by  the  Lord,'  says  Scott, '  if 

lOu  don't,  and  you  know  I  am  able' 

' '  You  are  not,'  says  father.     *  You 
nfcwr  was  the  man,  and  I  defy  you  I' 
''*  if  you  don't  go  and  do  it  this  min- 


ute, I'll-  I'll— I'll  iust  ffo  an(Ndo  it 
myself.  Ah,  my  old  cock,'  »aid  he,  a- 
givin'  him  a  slap  on  the  buck,  so  hard, 
that  it  gavo  hint  a  fit  of  the  asthmy, '  so 
you  got  your  Kbeneaer  up,  did  you?  I 
have  you  tfi  re,  at  any  rate.  Now,  do 
you  go  ofi'  to  mectin','  says  he, '  you  and 
the  old  lady,  and  I'll  put  up  the  horse 
myself,  and  smoke  my  pipe  till  you 
come  back,  for  I  don't  want  to  mislest 
you  in  the  least'  So  with  that  he  turn- 
ed to,  onharnisaed  his  horse,  put  him 
into  the  stable,  and  went  into  the  house 
and  lit  his  pipe ;  and  father  and  mother 
went  off  to  meetin'  and  left  him." 

"  A  nico  temper  to  go  to  meetin'  in  I" 
said  Stephen.  "  But  pious  men  are  al- 
ways amiable  and  good-tempered." 

"Well,  they  stayed  to  see  the  dip- 
ping, and  then  went  to  visit  Mrs.  Fuller, 
and  it  was  considerable  well  on  to  sun- 
down when  they  came  home,  and  mother 
began  to  feel  compunctious,  too,  at  lear- 
ing  the  lawyer  so  long  alone ;  but  father 
was  rfrict,  %nd  had  scruples  of  ctfb- 
Bcien'.e,  and  wouldn't  relax  for  no  one. 
As  soon  as  they  drove  up  to  the  door 
out  runs  lawyer. 

*' '  How  do  you  do,  Mrs.  Thompson  ?' 
said  he ;  for  he  was  a  sociable  man, 
and  talking  kind  came  natural  to  him. 
'  Bless  me,  I  thought  it  was  your  daugh- 
ter, you  look  so  young  and  handsome  ! 
you  have  positively  taken  a  new  lease ! 
Let  me  help  you  out.' 

"  He  was  a  great  tall  man,  and  he 
went  up  to  the  gig  and  held  out  both 
hands,  and  when  she  sprung  out,  he 
managed  to  have  her  jump  so  that  he 
caught  her  in  bis  arms,  and  carried  her 
to  the  door.  What  he  said  to  her  I 
don't  know :  but  no  man  knew  better 
what  flattery  to  whisper  to  a  woman 
than  he  did  ;  and  whatever  it  was  it  put 
her  in  a  good-humor,  and  she  bustled 
about  and  got  his  dinner  ready  in  no 
time.  The  table  was  set  in  t'.ie  room 
where  the  old  folks  were,  but  father 
wouldn't  talk,  and  hardly  answer  him  at 
all,  and  when  he  did  it  was  quite  short 
At  last  says  Scott,  with  a  wicked  i win- 
kle of  his  eye,  for  he  was  full  ot  mis- 
chief, and  had  the  pliest  eye  you  over 


.f-* 


4 


•«*\  -% 


■I'V 


i32 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONS. 


"  <  Thompson,  saya  he, '  I  saw  an  old 
friend  of  yours  in  Aylesford  to-day,  Nan- 
oy  Noley ;  she  made  many  anxious  in- 
quiries after  you,  and  desired  to  be 
kindly  and  gratefully  remembered  to 
you.' 

«'Who?'  said  mother. 

" '  Nancy  Noley,'  said  the  lawyer. 

"'Nancy  Devil!'  said  father.  'I 
know  there  is  such  a  woman  in  Ayles- 
ford, but  I  never  spoke  to  her  in  all  my 
life.' 

"  *  Strange,  too,'  said  lawyer, '  for  she 
told  me  to  tell  you  the  cow  you  gave 
her  last  spring  got  cast  in  the  field  and 
died,  and  she  hoped  you  would  either 

{;ive  or  hire  her  another,  and  said  how 
iberal  you  had  always  been  to  her.' 

" '  A  cow  V  said  mother. 

"'A  cow?'  said  father. 

"'Yes,  a  cow,'  said  lawyer.  'Why, 
what  in  the  world  Las  got  into  you  to- 
day ?'  said  Scott ; '  you  won't  know  your 
old  friends,  you  won't  hear  me,  and  you 
won't  hear  of  Nancyor  her  cow.' 

*  '  Well,  well,'  says  mother, '  here's  a 
pretty  how  do  you  do !  What  in  the 
world  are  you  giving  cows  to  Nancy 
Noley  for  V  and  she  began  to  cry  like 
»ny  thing. 

'' '  Lawyer,'  says  father,  '  leave  my 
house  this  minute ;  if  you  don't  go  out, 
I'll  put  you  out.' 


"'Indeed 
'  if  you  put 


I 
a 


ou  shan't,'  says  mother ; 


im  out  you  shall  put  me 
out  too,  I  promise  you.  If  you  had 
been  half  as  civil  to  him  as  you  are  to 
Nancy  Noley  it  would  have  beeu  better 
for  both  of  us,'  said  she,  crying  most 
bitterly.  '  I'll  have  your  tea  ready  for 
you.  lawyer,  whenever  you  want  it.' 

"  Father  seed  a  storm  a  brewin',  so 
Bays  he — 

" '  Well,  then,  if  he  stays  I'll  go,  that's 
all ;  for  I'd  as  soon  see  the  devil  in  the 
house  as  see  him.' 

'"  Mr.  Thompson,'  says  lawyer;  r-'th 
a  serious  face, '  don't  use  such  language, 
ur  you  may  see  the  devil  in  earnest' 

"  '  I  defy  you  and  the  devil  too,  sir !' 
said  he 

" '  Becollect,  Mr.  Thompson,  you  say 
you  defy  the  devil,  and.  you  are  in  a 
aevilish  and  not  »  Christian  temper.' 


"  '  I  defv  you  both,  sir !'  said  fathei 
and  he  walked  out  into  the  orchard  to 
cool  himself" 

"Improve  his  temper,  you  mean," 
said  Stephen,  "  by  eating  sour  apples. 
There  never  was  an  apple  in  your  fa- 
ther's  orchard  that  wouldn't  pucker  a 
pig's  mouth." 

"  In  the  evening  we  had  tea,  but  father 
was  not  present ;  he  did  not  come  into 
the  room  till  about  ten.  We  were  then 
just  separating  for  the  night.  Says 
mother,  says  she — 

"  •  Father,  will  you  ask  a  blessing  V 

"  '  I  might  ask  a  long  time,'  said  he, 
'  before  I  could  obtain  one  on  a  lawyer— 
a  mischief  maker  and  a  sabbath-break- 
er.' 

"  '  Thompson,'  said  lawyer,  for  he  was 
a  good-natured  man, '  I  am  sorry  if  I 
have  offended  you ;  come,  shake  hands 
along  with  me,  and  let  us  part  good 
friends.' 

" '  I'd  as  soon  shake  hands  with  the 
devil,'  said  father."  ' 

"What  a  sample  of  a  meek,  pious 
man !"  said  Stephen. 

" '  Only  hear  him,  Mrs.  Thompson ! 
said  lawyer ;  '  he'd  sooner,  he  says, 
shake  hands  with  the  devil  than  a  Chris* 
tian  man  I  That's  a  dangerous  saying 
sir,'  he  said,  a-turning  agin  and  address- 
ing himself  to  father,  'a  very  foolish 
and  very  rash  speech ;  he  may  shake 
hands  with  you  sooner  than  you  imagine. 
You  have  heard  of  the  story  of  the  devil 
and  Tom  Ball;  take  care  there  ain't 
another  of  the  devil  and  Jack  Thomp- 
son.    Good  night  to  you.' 

"  I  was  a  little  boy  then,  about  twelve 
years  old,  and  when  there  was  any  body 
sleeping  in  the  house  there  was  a  bed 
made  for  me  in  mother's  room.  Father 
and  I  went  to  bed,  and  mother  seed  to 
the  house,  and  to  putting  out  lights, 
and  raking  up  wood  fires,  and  putting 
the  birch-brooms  in  water,  for  fear  of 
live  coals  in  them,  and  setting  rolls  to 
rise  in  the  dough-trough,  and  covering 
them  with  a  blanket,  seeing  the  galls 
was  in  and  a-bod,  bolting  the  doors  and 
whut  not,  and  at  last  she  came  to  bed 
too.  Father  either  was  or  pretended  to 
be  anleep,  and  not  a  word  was  said  tili 


SEEING  THE  DEVIL. 


189 


!'  said  fathei 
bo  orchard  to 


you   mean,'' 

soHr  apples. 

6  in  your  fa* 

n't  pucker  a 

tea,  but  father 
not  come  into 
We  were  then 
night.      Says 

a  blessing  V 
;ime,'  said  he, 
on  a  lawyer— 
labbath-breab 

er,  for  he  was 
im  sorry  if  I 
),  shake  hands 
us  part  good 

ands  with  the 

,  meek,  pious 

Thompson ! 
ier,  he  says, 
than  a  Chris- 
;eroua  saying 
1  and  address- 
very  foolish 
le  may  shake 
a  you  imagine, 
ry  of  the  devil 
re  there  ain't 
Jack  Thomp- 

,  about  twelve 
was  any  body 
ere  was  a  bed 
oom.  Father 
tother  seed  to 
ig  out  lights, 
i,  and  putting 
r,  for  fear  of 
3tting  rolls  to 
and  covering 
ling  the  galls 
the  doors  and 
3  came  to  bed 
pretended  to 
was  said  tili 


wine  time  after  mother  had  turned  in. 
At  last  said  she — 

"'John!' 

"  Father  didn't  answer. 

<'  <  John,  dear !'  said  she  giving  him  a 
gentle  shake, '  dear  John  I' 

" '  What  do  you  want  V  says  father. 

" '  Are  you  asleep,  dear  V  said  she. 

"*No,  but  I  wisn  you  would  let  me 
fo  to  sleep,'  said  he. 

" '  Well,  so  I  will,  love,'  says  mother ; 
'  but  there  is  jist  one  thing  I  want  to 
know,  and  then  you  may  go  to  sleep.' 

"'Well!'  says  he. 

"Why, didn't  you  read  the  cow  as 
usual  to-night  V 

" '  Read  what  V  says  father,  turning 
round  towards  her. 

" '  Read  the  cow,  dear,  before  we  went 
to  rest.' 

"  <  Read  the  devil !'  said  he ;  '  what  in 
the  world  do  you  mean  by  reading  the 
cow?    I  believe  the  woman  is  crazed.' 

"  *  0  dear,  I  believe  so  too !'  said  she ; 
'and 'gracious  knows  I  have  enough  to 
drive  me  mad.'  And  she  cried  and 
sobbed  like  any  thing. 

" '  0,  ho  !'  says  he, '  if  you  are  a-go- 
ing to  take  on  that  way,  good  night,' 
and  he  turned  back  again. 

" '  0,*  says  she,  '  tnaJt's  the  way  you 
always  treat  your  lawful-wedded  wife  ; 
and  when  I  ask  you  a  civil  question, 
<  the  devil'  is  the  best  word  you  can  find 
for  me.' 

" '  Well,  what  on  earth  are  you  at  V 
said  he.  '  What  under  the  sun  do  you 
want?' 

" '  Why,'  says  she,  *  John,  dear,  why 
didn't  you  read  and  expound  this  even- 
ing, as  usual  on  Sabbath  night,  som$ 
portion  of  the  wretched  creature,  after 
to  much  temptation  of  the  wicked  one 
to-day  ?  It  would  have  been  good  for 
body  and  soul ;  and  if  we  couldn't  have 
digested  it  all,  for  our  temper,  we  might 
at  least  have  tried  to  do  so.' 

'• '  0, 1  see,'  says  father, '  what's  run- 
nia'  in  your  head  !  You  are  pretendin' 
to  talk  about  readin'  a  chapter,  and 
want  to  talk  about  Nancy  Noley  and 
the  cow,  and  so  you  have  mixed  them 
all  up  in  a  jumble :  woman  like,  you 
never  could  come  straight  to  the  point.' 


" '  Well,  now,  you  can't  wonder,  oan 
you,  dear,  if  I  am  troubled  in  mind  f 
What's  the  truth  of  it?' 

"  '  The  truth,  Polly,  dear,'  says  father, 
'  is  jist  this.  Nancy  Noley  is  a  liar,  the 
lawyer  is  a  liar,  and  you  are  a  fool' " 

"A  meek  Christian,  that  old  Jack 
Thompson,  wan't  he!"  said  Stephen; 
"and  monstrous  polite  to  his  wife,  too  !" 

"'Fool!'  said  mother.  '0,  you 
wretched,  wicked  monster !  first  to  de- 
ceive, and  then  to  go  to  abuse  your  law- 
ful wife  that  way !' 

" '  Yes,'  says  father,  '  a  fool ;  and  % 
stupid  one,  too !  I  wish  old  Nick  had 
you  all  before  you  conspired  to  bother 
me  so  confoundedly,'  and  Ij^en  he  pre- 
tended to  snore. 

"  And  mother  began  to  sob  and  scold, 
and  the  more  she  scolded  the  louder  he 
snored.  At  last  both  got  tired  of  that 
game,  and  fell  o£f  to  sleep,  and  all  was 
quiet  once  more. 

"  About  an  hour  or  so  after  this,  I 
was  awaked  by  an  odd  rushing  kind  of 
noise,  and  a  strange  smell  in  the  room, 
and  I  called  to  mother,  but  she  said  she 
didn't  hear  any  thing,  and  told  me  to 
go  to  sleep  again.  At  last  she  gave  a 
violent  scream,  and  waked  up  father. 

"  '  Father !  father  !'  said  she.  '  Look 
here,  John !' 

" '  What  on  earth  is  the  matter  now  ?* 
said  he :  '  what  ails  the  woman  V 

"  '  Hush,'  says  mother,  '  the  devil's 
come  ;  you  know  you  wished  he  might 
take  us  all  away,  and  here  he  is — oh-o-o  I 
oh-oo-o !' 

" '  Poor  thing !'  says  father,  quite 
mollified ;  '  poor  Polly,  dear,  I've  been 
too  harsh  with  you,  I  believe.  You 
have  gone  mad,  that's  a  fact.' 

" '  I  am  not  mad,  John,'  said  she. 
'  I  am  wide  awake,  there — there !  don't 
you  see  his  great  fiery  eye-balls  V 

" '  0,  lay  down,  dear,'  says  father^ 
'  3'ou  have  been  dreaming,  and  are 
frightened.  Lay  down,  dear^.  and  com- 
pose yourself.' 

" '  I  tell  you,  John,  I  haven't  been 
dreaming ;  there  he  is  again  I  look, 
look  I' 

•' '  Where,  where  ?'  says  father 

" '  There,  there !'    says  mother,  '  by 


'  ♦•■ 


. .'.' 


4J' 


w^ 


ft 

*  ■ 


.« 


I34 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


Hft^      *t 


<-Lw.  ;J!%. 


,  i'~*-J 


the  door :  don't  you  see  his  two  red-hot, 
fiery  eye-balls,  and  a  great  ball  of  fire  at 
his  tail  ?' 

*' '  Heavens  and  earth  I"  says  father, 
slowly, '  what  is  that  I  see  V 

" '  Do  you  see  his  two  great  eyes 
now  V  says  mother. 

"  '  I  see  four,'  says  father.  *  This  all 
comes  of  that  horrid  lawyer  I'  said  he. 

" '  From  that  horrid  Nancy  Noley,' 
Baid  she.' 

"  0  my,  what  a  beautiful  story !" 
Mid  Miss  Lucy,  pouring  out  a  glass  of 
cider,  and  banding  it  to  Mr.  Thompson. 
"  I  am  sure  you  must  be  dry.  0,  my 
gracious,  what  a  nice  story !" 

"  Your  good  health,  miss.  Where 
was  1 1"  asked  Thompson. 

"  Where  one  said  it  was  the  lawyer's 
doin's,"  she  replied,  "and  the  other 
Nancy  Noley 's." 

"  O,  exactly :    '  Lawyer,'   said  he ; 
•  Nancy,'  says  she. 

" '  Nancy  be  d — d  !'  said  he. 
'  "  In  the  midst  of  all  this  hubbub  I 

Sot  awfully  frightened  myself,  you  may 
epend,  and  began  to  cry  lustily,  and 
mother  called  out — 

" '  Neddy,  Neddy,  cover  yourself  up 
in  the  clothes  this  minute,  dear  I  Keep 
close ;  the  devil  and  Nancy  Noley's 
here.  Here  they  come  ! — here  they 
como ! — slowly  come  !  0,  it's  a  trying 
thing  to  look  on  the  devil !'  And  she 
gave  an  awful  scream,  and  it  retreated. 

"  *  In  this  dreadful  moment,'  says 
mother,  'when  evil  spirits  are  abroad, 
and  the  sound  of  rushing  winds  is  heard, 
and  the  devil  is  roamin'  about  seeking 
whom  to  devour,  and  human  hearts  are 
quaking,  I  conjure  yoq^  John  Thompson, 
to  tell  me,  is  that  story  of  Nancy  Noley 
true?' 

« '  It's  a  d— d  lie  !'  says  father. 

"  He  had  hardly  got  the  words  out  of 
his  mouth,  before  all  the  china  and  glass 
ranged  in  the  little  three-co(nered  show- 
closet  came  down  on  the  floor  with  a 
most  tremendous  smash,  the  broken 
pieces  rebounding  on  our  beds,  and 
nearly  blinding  us.  All  now  was  .si- 
lence for  a  minute  or  two,  when  mother 
laid — 

" '  John,  what  an  answer  you  got  to 


your  assertion !  This  is  a  ju<lgment 
and  0,  may  it  be  executed  mercifully 
upon  you — a  sinful,  fallen,  deceitful 
man  !  Get  up  and  light  a  candle ;  t)ie 
devil  loves  darkness  and  eschews  t!ie 
light.' 

" '  Well,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  Polly," 
says  he, '  I'm  amost  afeerd ;  and,  besides, 
the  floor  is  all  covered  with  broken 
glass ;  and  it's  as  much  as  one's  life's 
worth  to  go  stumblin'  about  among 
sharp-cornered  bits  of  crockery,  bottles, 
and  what  not' " 

"You  had  better  tell  us  agin  he  was 
clear-grit,  real.  New  England  ginger, 
hadn't  you  ?"  added  Ste,phcn. 

" '  Your  conscience  fails  you,  John, 
that's  it.  Confess,  then,  and  I'll  for- 
give you,'  she  said, '  and  tell  me  how  it 
was  that  you  fell  into  the  snares  of  that 
wicked  woman.' 

" '  I  tell  you  I  hope  the  devil  may  fly 
away  with  me  in  earnest,  if  it's  true, 
said  father. 

"  At  that  instant  there  was  a  Hollow 
sound,  like  that  of  the  flapping  of  enor- 
mous wings ;  and  father  and  mother, 
who  were  sitting  up,  saw  the  balls  of 
fire  again  for  an  instant,  when  they  were 
both  knocked  down,  and  the  window  at 
the  head  of  the  bed  was  dashed  out  with 
great  violence.  Mother's  cap  was  toru 
to  threads  on  one  side,  and  some  of  her 
hair  pulled  out,  while  the  temple  was 
cut  open,  and  one  eye-lid  much  lacera- 
ted. Father  had  his  cheek  dreadfully 
scratched,  and  the  skin  nearly  toru  from 
his  nose. 

" '  I  can  stand  this  no  longer,'  said 
mother  ;  '  the  smell  of  brimstone  is  so 
strong  I  am  e'en  a'most  sufibcated.  I 
must  get  up  and  strike  a  light.'  And 
she  felt  for  her  shoes,  and  putting  them 
on  groped  her  way  to  the  kitchen. 

"  When  she  returned  with  the  candle, 
she  stood  a  minute  at  the  door,  as  if 
afraid  to  enter,  or  dumbfounded  at  the 
destruction  of  the  contents  of  her  cup- 
board.   Her  first  thoughts  were  of  me — 

"'Neddy,  dear  Neddy  I'  said  she, 
'  are  you  alive  V 

" '  Yes,  mother,'  said  I. 

"'Are  you  hurt?  said  she.  'Are 
you  all  safe  and  sound?' 


carpet. 


1*1 


a  jij'lgment; 
bed  mercifullj 
lien,  deoeitfttl 
a  candle ;  tlie 
i  eschews  tlie 

?  truth,  Polly; 
;  and,  besides, 

with  broken 
as  one's  life's 

about  among 
(ckery,  bottles, 

us  agin  he  was 
gland  ginger, 
phcn. 

ils  you,  John, 

,  and  I'll  for- 

tell  me  bow  it 

s  snares  of  that 

le  devil  may  fly 
t,  if  it's  true,^ 

e  was  a  HoUow 
ipping  of  enor- 
ir  and  mother, 
ir  the  balls  of 
lyhen  they  were 
the  window  at 
lashed  out  with 
s  cap  was  torn 
nd  some  of  her 
he  temple  was 
much  lacera- 
eek  dreadfully 
early  torn  from 

0  longer,'  said 
)rimstone  is  so 

suffocated.     I 

light.'     And 

d  putting  them 

kitchen, 
rith  the  candle, 
he  door,  as  if 
founded  at  the 
nts  of  her  cup- 
s  were  of  me — 
lyT    said  she. 


id  she.    *Ar« 


SEEING  THE  DEVIL. 


" '  Yes,  ma'am,'  said  I. 

« '  The  Lord  be  praised  for  that  I' 
said  she.  '  And  now  let  me  see  what's 
here.'  And  she  sot  the  candle  on  the 
floor,  and,  standing  ever  so  far  off,  she 
took  the  broo;ai,  and  with  the  tip  eend 
of  the  handle  held  up  the  valence,  first 
of  my  bed,  and  then  of  hern,  and  peeped 
under;  and  then  she  made  me  stand 
ap,  and  she  biat  the  bed,  as  folks  do  a 
carpet,  to  drive  the  dust  out ;  and  tiien 
ebe  told  fatiher  to  rise  and  dress  him- 
eelf,  and  while  he  was  a-getting  up,  she 
began  banging  away  at  the  bed,  and 
managed,  either  by  chance  or  by  acci- 
dent done  a-purpose,  for  nothing  furies 
a  woman  like  jealousy,  to  give  him  some 
most  awful  whacks  with  the  broom-han- 
dle. 

"'What  are  you  at?'  says  father. 
'  How  dare  you  ?' 

" '  The  evil  one  may  be  concealed  in 
the  bed,  dear.  0, 1  shall  never  forget,' 
she  said, '  her  awful  fiery  eyes,  and  the 
blow  she  gave  me  over  the  head  with 
her  tail  when  she  broke  the  window  1' 

"'Who?'  said  father. 

" '  Satan,'  said  mother.  '  O  the  wicked 
creature,  how  she  has  clawed  your  face 
and  broke  my  china  !' 

"  The  thoughts  of  that  loss  seemed  to 
craze  her  a'most,  and  make  her  as  sav- 
age as  a  bear  ;  and  she  hit  him  a  crack 
or  two  agin,  that  made  him  sing  out  pen- 
and-ink  in  real  earnest.  At  last,  he 
caught  hold  of  the  broom-stick  in  his 
hand,  and  said — 

" '  What  in  the  world  do  you  mean  by 
striking  me  that  way?  What  ails  you, 
woman  V 

'• '  Did  she  strike  her  own  lawful  hus- 
band, then  V  said  she,  in  a  coaxing  tone. 
'Did  she  lift  her  hand  agin  her  own 
I  John  1  Poor,  dear,  lost  man  !  Well,  I 
shouldn't  wonder  if  I  ' 
imost  oui  of  my  senses 
shoes,  get  up  and  dress.' 

"  And  when  he  let  go  the  broomhan- 
lillc,  she  sticitehed  it  across  the  bed,  aud 
lifted  the  blind,  and  exposed  to  view  the 
I  broken  sash  and  glass  of  the  window. 

"'See  here — see  here,  John!'  she 
liaid  ;  'here's  where  she  escaped.' 

"'Who?'  said  father. 


did,  for  I'm  e  en 
Here's  your 


"'Why,  Satan,'  says  mother.     'Did 
you  think  it  was  Nancy  V  ■  '  - 

"  '  O,  don't  bother  me  I'  said  he, 
"  Long  and  loud  were  mother's  lamen- 
tations over  her  china.     Her  beautiful 
old,  real  china  bowl,  that  belonged  to 
Governor  Winthorp,  of  Massachusetts, 
one  of  the  oldest  governors  of  the  State, 
from  whom  she  was  descended ;    her 
beautiful  painted    jar,  which,   though 
often  broken,  was  mended  as  good  as 
new,  but  now  was  gone  for  ever  i     Her 
set  of  gilt  tea-ware,  that  belonged  to 
Judge  Strange,  who  sentenced  the  two 
men  to  death  for  murder  at  Lunenburg ; 
and  a  china  lamb,  that  broke  its  legs 
and  its  neck  in  its  fall ;  and  a  shepherd- 
ess, that  was  split  in  two  from  top  to 
bottom  by  Washington  on  horseback! 
Tears  mingled  with    the    blood  that 
trickled  down  her  cheeks,  and  her  voice, 
was  choked  by  fear,  grief,  and  pain. 
Father  never    uttered    a    word.      He 
assisted   her    in    packing  up    all  the 
pieces  and  fragments  into  a  large  basket 
with  wool,  to  be  reproduced  and  mend- 
ed, if  possible,  afterwards.     When  this 
was  done,   they  dressed  each   other's 
wounds,  and  sat  by  the  kitchen  fire. 

" '  Polly,'  says  father, '  what  account 
are  we  to  give  of  this  uight's  work  1  If 
we  are  silent,  it  will  be  said  we  hme 
lifted  our  hands  against  each  o(hoT ;  if 
we  relate  the  whole  truth,  our  house 
will  be  avoided  as  haunted,  and  our 
friends  will  desert  us  as  possessed  of 
evil  spirits.  We  are  sorely  tried  with 
afBictions.  This  is  a  judgment  on  me.' 
And  he  shed  tears. 

"'Then  you  are  guilty,  are  you?" 
says  she.     '  You  confelss,  do  you  ?' 

'■ '  Polly,  dear,'  said  he,  '1  am  an  in- 
nocent man  of  the  slanders  of  that  vile 
lawyer,  aud  here  is  my  hand  ;  it  grieveii 
uie  you  should  doubt  me.  I'll  take  an 
oath,  if  you  wish  it,  love !' 

"'0  no,  don't  swear,  John!'  said 
she.  '  Your  word  is  as  good  as  your 
oath  ' " 

"  She  knew  him  better  than  you, 
Thompson,"  said  Stephen  ;  "  for  I  guess 
it's  six  of  one  and  half-a-dozen  of  the 
other." 

" '  I  believe  you,  John,'  she  said ; 


:r 


*• 


r    '■ 


'1'  ^ 


^/» 


g     ■«     •■'11 


136 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR;  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


'  and  from  this  time  forth,  T  shall  never 
think  or  speak  of  it  again.' 

'*  <  Now  yon  talk  sense,'  said  father. 
'But  what  shall  we  say?  How  shall 
we  account  for  this  night,  for  the' de* 
Btruction  of  our  china,  and  for  the 
marks  of  violence  on  ourselves?' 

" » You  say  you  are  innocent  ?' 

«'Iam.' 

" '  Then  some  way  will  be  opened 
unto  us  to  save  us  from  disgrace.' 

"  <  Easier  said  than  done,'  he  replied. 

" '  I  tell  you  it  will  be  done,'  said 
she. 

"Here  they  were  disturbed  by  the 
early  summons  of  the  lawyer. 

" '  Hallo,  Thompson  I  where's  my 
bag!' 

*' '  Answer  him  softly,'  said  mother ; 
'  you  may  want  his  advice.' 

"*0,  is  that  you,  la^er?'  replied 
fother.  '  How  are  you  this  morning  ? 
I  hope  you  slept  well  last  night,  Mr. 
Scott.  >Vill  you  have  a  glass  of  bitters  ? 
Is  there  any  thing  I  can  do  for  you  V  " 

"What  a  pious  hypocrite  I"  said 
Stephen. 

" '  No,  I  thank  you,  not  now.  But 
where's  my  bag?  It  had  two  silver 
gray  foxes  in  it,  worth  fifteen  pounds. 
I  was  taking  them  down  to  Halifax  as  a 
present  to  Sir  John  Wentworth.' 

"  itiother  rose,  and  put  her  finger  to 
her  lip,  and  then  went  to  her  chamber, 
and  brought  out  the  bag  which  she  had 
Men  near  the  door,  and  wondered  oTer 
in  clearing  up  her  room. 


" '  There  it  is,'  she  said,  as  she  hand 
ed  it  to  father, '  there  it  is ;  I  told  you 
a  way  would  be  opened  to  us.     It's  no- 
thin'  but  a  pair  of  foxes  after  all !' 

"  At  breakfast  the  lawyer  lamented 
over  his  foxes,  and  momer  over  her 
china ;  but,  pleader  as  he  was,  mother 
beat  him  all  hollow. 

"  •  I  am  sorry  for  the  loss  of  your 
china,  Mrs.  Thompson,'  said  he ;  '  and 
will  replace  it  all  when  I  go  to  Halifax 
with  much  better.  It  was  I  who  untied 
the  bag  and  let  the  devil  loose  on  you, 
in  the  form  of  those  two  foxes  ;  for,  to 
tell  you  the  truth,  your  husband  be- 
haved unhandsomely.  He  treated  one 
poor  devil  very  badly  yesterday,  and 
spoke  very  disrespectfully  of  another 
one  ^behind  his  back.  Recollect  the  old 
proverb, '  Talk  of  the  devil,  and  he  will 
be  sure  to  appear.' " 

"  Well  I  never,  in  all  my  born  days," 
Raid  Miss  Lucy,  "  heard  such  a  beauti- 
ful story  end  in  nothing  at  all  like  that! 
0,  now,  only  think  of  all  that  interest 
being  excited  and  kept  up  by  two  nasty, 
horrid,  dirty,  common,  smelly  foxes  I 
And  then  for  to  come  for  to  go  for  to 
call  that '  seeing  the  devil !'" 

"  It's  quite  as  much  as  I  should  like 
to  see  of  him,"  said  Stephen. 

"  Well,  it  s  not  as  much  as  I  should 
like  to  hoar  of  him,  then,"  replied  Miss 
Lucy.  "Well  I  never  I  It's  a  great 
shame,  now,  so  it  is  t  The  idea  of  call- 
ing that  <  seeing  the  devil  1*  " 


,  as  she  baud 
13 ;  I  told  joQ 

0  us.    It's  no- 
fterall!' 
ryer  lamented 
Iher  over  her 
le  was,  mother 

loss  of  yonr 

said  he;  'and 

go  to  Halifax 

.3  I  who  untied 

1  loose  on  you, 
foxes ;  for,  to 
'  husband  ba- 
le treated  one 
resterday,  aud 
ly  of  another 
ecoUeot  the  old 
nl,  and  he  will 

my  born  days," 
such  a  beauti- 

at  all  like  that! 
that  interest 

ip  by  two  nasty, 
smelly  foxes  I 

:or  to  go  for  to 

il!'" 

i  I  should  like 

phen. 

oh  as  I  should 

,"  replied  Miss 

I    It's  a  great 

he  idea  of  call- 

ill'  " 


THE  KEEPING-ROOM  OF  AN  INN. 


Nc.  III.— A  LONG  NIGHT  AND  A  LONG  STORY. 


Soon  after  the  conclusion  of  the  last 
itory  of  "  Seeing  the  Devil,"  with  which 
Miss  Lucy  expressed  herself  so  much 
dissatisfied,  the  company  separated  for 
the  night.  The  storm  still  raged  with 
unabated  fury,  and  the  prospect  of  its 
continuance  tor  another  day  quite  ex- 
hausted the  patience  of  Mr.  Ilicnardson. 
He  stretched  out  both  his  legs  and  his 
arms,  and  expanded  his  jaws  to  their 
fullest  extent,  and  proclaimed  the  day 
to  have  been  the  most  tiresomeriie  ever 
•pent  in  his  life. 

"  I  never  saw  one  that  was  too  long 
to  home,"  he  said,  "  for  I  can  always 
find  enough  to  do.  Fine  days,  rainy 
days,  and  stormy  days,  are  all  alike  to 
mt.  Out-doors  or  in-doors,  a  body 
neean't  be  idle ;  bnt,  away  from  home, 
with  your  head  like  horned  cattle,  fast- 
ened in  the  stanchels,  a-chewing  of  the 
cud,  or  sitting  before  the  fire,  a-working 
as  hard  as  you  can,  turning  one  thumb 
over  the  other,  is  dull  music.  It  makes 
a  slow  day  of  it,  aud  this  has  been  about 
the  longest  I  ever  passed ;  though,  after 
all,  it  ain't  to  be  named  with  an  endless 
night  I  once  spent.  It  was  longer  than 
you,  Broadcloth,  who  are  only  live  feet 
tiothin',  and  something  beyond  i.ie,  who 
am  six  feet  nnd  a  considerable  ])iece  to 
spare ;  and,  before  we  part,  I  will  tell 
you  how  and  when  it  was. 

"In  the  fall  of  18k>0,  I  think  it  wis, 
vrben  I  lived  to  the  head  of  Bear  River, 
I  took  a  notion  into  my  head  one  day 
to  go  out  a  moosecalliDg ;  so  I  strapped 
3n  my  powder-horn  and  shot-ba^;,  and 
put  som,e  balls  intc^niy  pocket,  and.  took 
I  trifle  to  eat  with  me,  and  sot  off  alone 
(nto  tho  woods.  Well,  first  I  vxsited 
)ne  moose  ground,  and  then  another, 


and  I  never  see  them  so  scarce  in  all 
my  life ;  and,  at  last,  by  the  end  of  the 
third  day,  I  got  off  ever  so  far  from 
home  away  to  the  southward,  and  my 
provisions  got  out,  and  I  couldn't  see 
bird  nor  beast,  nor  any  thing  to  feed  on, 
and  I  was  amost  starved,  that's  a  fact 
Says  I  to  myself,  says  I,  '  Shall  I  go 
back  while  I'm  able,  or  shall  I  hold  on 
and  trust  luck?'   and,  seein'   that  I 


never  failed 
give  in,  but 


yet,  I 


thought 
so 


I  wouldn't 
gwB  .w,  ^y.„  persevere  ;  so  I  drew  my 
belt  tighter  round  my  stomach,  which 
was  pretty  empty,  I  do  assure  you,  and 
pushed  on  to  a  place  where  I  thought  I 
couldn't  fail  to  find  moose  ;  and  all  I 
had  to  feed  upon  after  the  second  morn- 
ing was  the  inside  bark  and  juice  and 
scrapings  of  wild  poplars.  In  the 
spring,  a  body  might  live  on  it  for  a 
week,  I  do  suppose ;  but  in  the  fall,  it's 
kind  of  dry  and  stringy,  and  hard  fare, 
you  may  depend.  At  last  night  came, 
and  I  began  to  call  the  moose  again. 

"  This  is  the  way,  stranger,"  he  said, 
addressing  mo :  "  you  fold  up  a4>ieoe 
of   birch-bark  like  a  short  speaking- 


and  then 


trumpet,  as  I  fold  this  paper, 
go  like  the  voice  of  the  cow-moose  — 
this  fashion  :"  and  he  uttered  some  ex- 
traordinary lowings,  which  Miss  Lucy 
pronounced  very  horrid  and  disagree- 
able, but  which  Barclay  and  others  eu- 
logized as  capital  imitations ;  "  and 
then,"  he  said,  "  if  there  is  a  herd  in 
the  neighborhood,  one  or  more  of  the 
leaders  are  sure  to  answer  it,  and  come 
to  the  spot  where  the  sound  rises. 
Well,  I  had  been  at  this  sport  so  long, 
and  been  out  of  food  such  a  length  of 
time,  I  was  quite  weak  and  hardly  able 
to  call ;   but,  howsomeyer,  call  I  did ; 


•■«(»■ 


ilk  I''  ^ 


,a 


^■■f 

-**; 


1 ', 


4"     ! 


kf 


i3S 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;   OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


,<r  :^    I 


and,  bymeby,  I  heard  a  great  wbapping 
fellor  come  thrashing  and  crashing,  and 
rearing  and  tearing,  along  througii  the 
trees,  as  easy  as  if  he  was  moving 
through  tall  grass,  and  I  was  getting 
ready  to  have  a  shot  at  him,  as  soon  as 
he  stood  still  to  blow,  and  snort,  and 
listen  again,  or  as  he  passed  on,  when 
the  first  thing  I  knew  was  he  went 
right  slap  over  me,  and  trod  me  under 
foot,  knocking  the  wind  out  of  me,  and 
nearly  breaking  every  rib  in  my  body. 
Thinks  I  to  myself,  what  under  the  sun 
shall  I  do  now  ?  I  am  e'en  amost 
starved  to  death :  every  created  thing 
seems  to  keep  out  of  my  way  except 
one,  and  that  one  wants  to  teach  me  to 
keep  out  of  his ;  and  if  I  ain't  starved, 
I  ain't  quite  sure  I  ain't  bruised  to 
death.  Just  then  I  heard  an  owl  hoot, 
and  although  they  ain't  very  good  to 
eat  at  no  time,  they  are  better  than 
nothin'  to  a  starving  man.  So  I  lav 
down  on  my  back,  and  began  to  invei- 
gle him  ;  for  I  hLve  been  so  much  in 
the  woods,  I  can  imitate  every  nound 
that's  in  them — when,  looking  up,  what 
should  I  see  but  a  pair  of  bright  eyes 
in  the  tree  above  me,  and  I  let  slip,  and 
down  came  a  porcupine.  What  a  god- 
send that  was !  didn't  ne  get  out  of  his 
jacket  and  trousers  in  double  quick 
time!  There  never  was  a  gentleman 
got  a  good  warm  fire  made  up  for  Vim- 
self  at  such  short  notice,  I  know ;  and 
didn't  raw  fat  meat  taste,  for  the  first 
time,  better  than  that  that's  well  done  I 
Arter  that,  I  lay  down  and  took  a  nap, 
and  gin  up  the  moose  hunt,  and  mend- 
ed next  day  to  start  for  a  cross  road 
that  I  expected  to  reach  by  night, 
where  I  knew  a  sottler,  one  Increase 
Card,  lived,  and  where  I  could  put  up 
and  refresh  a  bit.  Well,  when  morning 
came,  I  sot  off,  and,  as  is  always  the 
case  in  this  world,  when  you  don't  care 
a  morsel  about  things,  you  can  have  lots 
of  them  ;  and,  when  you  do,  you  can't 
get  them  for  love  or  money.  So,  the 
next  day,  I  shot  partridges  for  my  break- 
fast, and  partridges  for  my  dinner,  and 
let  other  fellows  run,  as  sodgor  officers 
do  desarters,  without  looking  arter 
them ;   and,  when  I  least  expected  it, 


came  all  of  a  sudden  on  a  moos«,  and 
shot  him  just  as  I  reached  tlio  road. 

"  About  seven  o'clock,  not  very  long, 
after  sundown,  I  came  to  the  house  of 
Increase  Card,  leg-weary,  foot-sore,  and 
near  about  beat'  out 

" '  Crease,'  said  I, '  my  boy,  how  are 
you  ?  I  never  was  so  glad  to  sea  any 
one  afore  in  all  my  life,  for  I'm  all  but 
used  up.  Have  you  got  a  drop  of  rum 
in  the  house  V 

" '  Yes,'  says  he,  '  I  have ;'  and  pulling 
out  a  large  stone  bottle  from  his 
closet — 

" '  Here's  a  little,'  said  he ;  '  wait  till 
I  get, you  some  water.' 

'"I  guess  I  won't  spoil  two  good 
things,'  said  I,  and  I  poured  out  half  a 
tumbler  of  the  naked  truth,  and  drank 
it  off  like  wink.  '  Now,'  says  I,  '  one 
good  turn  deserves  another.  I'll  take 
a  glass  of  water,  if  you  choose,  for  I  al- 
ways like  to  see  the  quality  go  first.' 
Well,  we  sot  by  the  fire  and  talked  over 
farming  and  crops,  and  politics  and  old 
times,  and  what  not,  and  cooked  some 
moose  steaks,  and  eat  and  cooked,  and 
cooked  and  eat,  as  fast  as  contract-work, 
and  then  went  to  bed.  But  afore  I 
left  the  room,  Increase  said — '■  Steve,' 
sais  he, '  Miss  Card,  my  wife,  and  the 
little  ones,  are  gone  to  Capersues  to  see 
her  father,  old  Captain  Salmon.  I  am 
going  after  them  afore  day  to-morrow, 
to  fetch  them  back  in  the  wagon.  Do 
you  just  help  yourself  in  the  morning 
to  whatever  you  want,  and  rake  up  the 
fire  carefully,  and  put  the  house-key 
under  the  step  of  the  door.' 

"  '  Whv,  Crease,'  said  I,  *  was  your 
wife  a  Salmon  ?  I  never  knowed  that 
afore.' 

" '  Yes,'  sais  he, '  one  of  the  Salmons 
of  Tusket,  old  Captain  Noah's  daugh- 
ter.' 

"  '  You  showed  your  sense,'  sais  I ; 
'  they  are  the  best  fish  going  ;  and  I  see 
you  know  how  to  manage  her,  too.  •  You 
have  given  her  the  line,  let  her  run  off 
the  whole  length  of  it,  and  now  arc 
a-reeling  of  her  up,  and  a-going  to  slip 
a  landing-net  under  her,  bag  her,  and 
fetch  her  home.  I  t's  the  only  way  vTith 
women  and  fish.    If  you  snub  'em  too 


short,  they 
devil — tan 
race  right 
day,  I  see. 
trout  have 

« '  Two,' 

«»Ah!' 
bkit  to  a  CO 

"'How? 

'"Why, 
rrand  nami 

"'What 
be,  laughin 
for  you  al 
since  I  kno 
ap  a  quart- 
t— 

"'Follov 
you  where 

"'Stop,' 
lueh  a  pud 
that  stone . 
low,  will  yo 
Kitty,  your 

"Sartainl 
pardon  for  i 
bat,  the  fac 
tell  you  the 
jelf 

"'Neithe 
wy,  when  '. 

)it  and  a 
anless  I  am 
aow;  but,  si 
salt  my  wif< 
curing  her  h 
and  I  often 
hear  to  it,  f 
after  dinnei 
rail  good  ni 
'Crease  Ca 
Kitty,  your 
to  you,  and 
itrong  hand 
lonors.     Nc 
ow  in  your 
8  a  bull-mo' 
i>e  intg  a  ro 
rork-bench 
ngs,  and  b 
hen  passed 
porch,  and 
ed-room ;  a 
lade  candU 


V 


THE  KEEPINO-ROOM  OF  AN  INN. 


180 


moose,  and 
jO  road, 
t  very  long. 
iO  hoaae  of 
9t-sore,  and 

ay,  how  are 

to  see  any 

I'm  all  but 

irop  of  rum 

and  pulling 
I  from     his 

i;  'wait  till 

I  two  good 
i  out  half  a 
1,  and  drank 
Jays  I, '  one 
r.     I'll  take 
ose,  for  I  al- 
lity  go  first.' 
1  talked  over 
itics  and  old 
cooked  some 
cooked,  and 
julract-work, 
But  afore  I 
aid — *■  Steve,' 
grife,  and  the 
ersues  to  see 
Imon.     I  am 
y  to-morrow, 
wagon.     Do 
the  morning 
rake  up  the 
16  house-key 


I,  'was  your 
knowed  that 

the  Salmon! 
foah's  daugh- 


snse,' 


sais 


ig  ;  and  I  see 
ler,  too.  •  You 
her  run  off 
ind  now  arc 
going  to  slip 
bag  her,  and 
jnly  way  vrtth 
snub  'em  too 


ihort,  they  spring  and  flounce  like  the 
devil — tangle  the  line,  or  break  it,  and 
race  right  off.  You  warn't  born  yelster- 
day,  I  see.  How  many  young  salmon - 
trout  have  you  ?' 
"  '  Two,'  sais  he. 

" '  Ah  I'  said  I, '  your  name  is  capital 
bklt  to  a  coasting-hook.' 
"'flow?'  said  he. 

" '  Why,  Increase,'  sais  I ;  '  it's  a 
pnd  name  that.' 

(' '  What  a  droll  fellow  you  be  I'  said 
he,  laughing ;  '  you  ain't  a  bit  altered, 
for  you  always  was  a  funny  man  ever 
since  I  knowed  you ;'  and  then,  taking 
ap  a  quart- bottle- with  a  candle  stuck  in 
it— 

" '  Follow  me,'  he  said, '  and  I'll  show 
you  where  to  sleep.' 

"'  Stop,'  sais  I,  '  Crease,  don't  be  in 
mch  a  pucker  of  a  hurry ;  just  have  out 
I  that  stone  Jug  again,  that's  a  good  fel- 
low, will  you"?   that  I  may  drink  Miss 
I  Kitty,  your  wife's  health,  afore  I  go.' 

"  Sartainly,'  said  he, '  and  I  axe  your 

I  pardon  tor  not  offering  it  again  to  you  ; 

bat,  the  fact  is,  I  railly  forgot ;  for,  to 

tellyou  the  truth, I  never  take  any my- 

helf 

" '  Neither  do  J,*  sais  I,".'  in  a  general 
I  ray,  when  I  anii  to  home,  for  it's  a  bad 
babit  and  a  bad  example  to  the  boys, 
lanleBS  I  am  shocking  dry,  as  I  am  just 
[now;  but,  somehow  or  another,  I  con- 
Isait  my  wife  uses  too  much  salt  both  in 
Icaring  her  hams  and  corning  her  beef ; 
land  I  often  tell  her  so,  though  she  wo'nt 
Ibear  to  it,  for  I  am  always  awful  dry 
lafter  dinner.'     Well,  I  poured  out  a 
ail  good  nip,  and  then,  holding  it  up, 
f  Crease   Card,'  says  I,  "  here's   Miss 
(itty,  your  wife's  health,  and  the  same 
Ito  you,  and  wishing  you  may  have  a 
Itrong  hand  of  cards,  all  trumps  and  all 
loners.     Now,  make  haste,  and  I'll  fol- 
low in  your  trail ;  for  I  feel  as  strong 
)a  bull-moose  a'most.'     Well,  he  took 
ne  intq  a  room  that  had  a  carpenter's 
Kk-bench  in  it,  and  tools,  and- shav- 
ogs,  and  boards,  and  what  not ;  ,  and 
hen  passed  into  a  place  that  had  betin 
[porch,  and  then  into  a  nice,  snug,  tidy 
1-room ;  and  putting  down  his  rcady- 
ade  candlestick  on   a  table,  be   bid 


me  good  night,  and  then  went  off  to  his 
own  roost.  Well,  I  takes  two  ohairii 
and  puts  them  to  the  iM)ttom  of  the 
stretcher,  and  hauls  out  the  bed  two 
foot  ^or  more — for  no  bedstead  in  a 
general  way  is  long  enough  for  me,  and 
it  ain't  pleasant  to  have  your  legs  a- 
dangling  out  of  bed — and  then  I  turned 
in,  took  a  good  stretch  out,  and  was 
asleep  in  no  time.  Well,  being  in  no 
hurry,  and  not  intending  to  get  up 
early,  I  took  a  good  long  sleep ;  and 
when  I  woke  up,  I  shoved  out,  first  one 
leg,  and  then  the  other,  to  prove  all  waa 
right  in  those  distant  parts  ;  and  then 
I  drew  a  long  breath  to  try  if  the  ribs 
was  in  the  right  place  to  home,  after 
the  trampling  and  kicking  of  that  are 
confounded  moose ;  and  then  I  rubbed 
my  eyes,  and  found  it  was  still  dark, 
so  I  turned  round  again,  and  took  an* 
other  famous  .nap. 

'"-Now,' says  I  to  myself, '  it's  time 
to  be  a-stirring ;'  and  I  sot  up  in  bed, 
and  looked  and  looked,  and  all  was  as 
dark  as  ink.  '  Steve,'  says  I, '  you  are 
getting  old,  you  may  depend.  Oncet 
on  a  time  you  used  to  do  up  your  sleep 
into  one  long  parcel,  but  now  you  are 
so.  tired,  you  don't  rest  sound,  and  have, 
to  content  yourself  wi|h  a  piece  at  a 
time ; — it  ain't  day  yet,  try  it  again.'. 
Well,  I  tossed  and  turned,  and  rolled 
about  ever  so  long,  and  at  last  I  snoozed 
away  again,  and  when  that  was  over,  I 
up  and  out  of  bed,  and  felt  for  the  win-, 
dow,  and  looked  out,  and  it  was  as  dark 
as  Egypt;  and  then  I  put  a  hand  to 
each  cheek  agin  the  glass,  and  nearly 
flattened  my  nose  agin  the  pane,  and 
stared  and  stared,  but  there  warn't  a 
star  or  the  least  streak  of  light  to  be' 
seen  ;  so  back  I  went  to  bed  agin,  but. 
I  couldn't  sleep — no  how  I  could  work 
it :  I  had  had  enough,  or  was  too  tired ; . 
but  I  don't  like  to  give  in  till  I  can't' 
help  myself;  so  I  began  to  count  one, 
two,  three,  four,  up  to  a  hundred,  and 
then  back  agin,  one,  two,  three,  four, 
and  so  on — but  it  was  no  go.  Then  I 
fahcied  I  was  driving  a  flock  of  sheep 
over  a  notch  in  the  fence,  one  by  one ; 
and  when  two  got  over  the  fence  at 
oncet,  I'd  drive  one  of  them  back,  and 


> 


»  ¥ 


,M 


1 


,1l 


■  'i 


•L^V*. 


.^... 

> 


1  \ 


140 


THE  OLD  JLDGEi  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONS. 


begin  agin  ;  bat  it  didn't  confuse  me  to 
lleep  ;  and  then  I  tried  a  rhyme  :•>- 

'  I  wish  I  had  a  load  of  poles 

To  fence  my  gnrden  round. 
The  pigs  they  do  break  in,  and  rool^ 
And  all  my  sarce  confound.' 

And  then  I  chased  a  little  black  boar 
round  and  round  the  garden  walks,  till 
I  grew  diziy,  and  slipped  off  into  a  good 
solid  nap.  Well,  when  this  was  over,  I 
looked  up,  and  still  all  was  as  dark  as 
ever,  and  I  got  more  tired  of  the  bed 
than  of  the  three  days'  moose-hunt;  so, 
thinks  I,  ril  get  up  and  go  to  the  keep- 
ing-room, and  light  my  pipe,  and  wait 
for  daybreak :  but  this  is  a  most  mortal 
long  night,  that's  certain  ;  or,  perhaps, 
I've  got  cold,  and  can't  see  out  of  my 
eyes.  Well,  that  idea  did  startle  me, 
you  may  depend;  so  I  went  to  the  win- 
dow agin,  and  looked  through  as  hard  I 
could,  till  I  strained  my  peepers  out 
s'most,  but  no  daybreak  was  there. 
'  Perhaps  it's  a  heavy  land-fog,'  says  I ; 
so  I  lifted  the  sash,  and  just  as  I  was 
a-popping  my  head  out,  I  got  a  crack 
over  the  pate  that  actilly  made  the  fire 
fly.  from  my  eyes.  *  Hallo !'  says  I, 
*  what  in  natur  is  all  this  ? — let  me  think 
about  it.  Where  am  I  ? — Am  I  in  In- 
orease  Card's  house? — What  ails  me, 
that  I  can't  sleep? — or  am  I  buried 
alive  by  an  earthquake? — or  has  the 
sun  forgot  to  get  up  this  morning  ?— or 
what  in  the  world  is  to  pay  now  t — I'll 
try  the  door.'  Well,  I  opened  the  door, 
and  felt  along  out  to  the  porch,  and 
aloag  the  wall  to  the  house  door,  when 
the  light  fell  on  me  all  of  a  sudden  so 
dazzling  bright,  it  nearly  blinded  me, 
and  made  me  wink  like  an  owl.  It  was 
two  o'clock  in  the  day,  at  the  least,  and 
the  sun  shining  away  as  clear  and  as 
hot  as  iron  melted  to  a  white  heat.  Th(> 
fiaot  is,  Increase  had  built  an  addition 
to  the  house,  and  had  lathed  and  plas- 
tered outside  of  the  windows,  and  hadn't 
yet  cut  out  fresh  places  in  the  end  of 
the  room  for  them,  and  it  was  agin  this 
new  wall  that  I  knocked  my  head. 
Well,  I  didn't  know  whether  to  be  mad 
or  to  laugh  ;  but  I  didn't  see  I  had  any 
one  to  be  mad  with  but  myself,  and  as 
I  never  laugh  except  at  other  folks,  I 


dldnU  do  neither  one  nor  the  other,  but 
•truck  alight,  went  into  the  dark  room. 
dressed  myRelf,  returned,  and  made  a 
most  royal  dinner  and  breakfast  all  in 
one,  sbuuldered  a  haunch  of  venison. 
and  started  for  the  nottlements.  That 
was  a  most — a,  particular  long  night, 
and  was  more  than  a  match  after  all  for 
this  tremendottf  long  day." 

Ou  (be  leeond  morning,  although  the 
wind  bad  subiided,  it  still  snowed  fast 
and  heavily  at  intervals,  but  Barclay 
foretold  (bo  entire  oessation  of  the  storm 
in  the  oourio  of  the  afternoon.  Having 
taken  an  early  dinner,  as  on  the  pn 
coding  day,  we  again  adjourned  to  the 
keeping-roottt  about  three  o'clock,  for 
the  purpoie  of  listening  to  the  rarioiu 
stories  and  aneedotoi  told  by  the  com- 

Ean^,  wbiob  are  to  illustrative  of  the 
abits  and  (aiDtes  of  (ho  people.  The 
conversation  for  lome  time  after  ve 
joined  (be  par(}r  was  desultory,  and  not 
worth  reeordiog;  all,  however,  agreed 
that  (he  opening  in  the  clouds  which 
disoloied  a  patdt  of  blue  sky  in  the 
west  was  the  forerunner  of  a  fine  even- 
ing, wbloh  had  a  visible  effect  on  the 
ooiiutenanoei  and  spirits  of  every  body, 
One  of  (be  passengers  of  the  stage 
sloigb,  who.  i(  afterwards  appeared,  te- 
longed  (o  (ne  Commissariat  departmenl 
at  Halifax,  called  Miss  Lucy  ou  one  side, 
andearneidy  pressed  some  request  upon 
her,  (bat  I  did  not  distinctly  hear,  to 
wbiob  she  objected  that  it  was  rather 
late,  and  (he  roads  impassable.  I  heard 
some(hinff,  however,  about  taking  the 
open  fielas  and  a  violin,  which  seemed 
to  convince  her,  for  she  wont  to  the  kit- 
chen and  gave  orders  that  appeared  '.a 
meet  with  remonstrance,  but  which  was 
effectually  silenced  by  the  young  ladj 
raising  bdr  voice,  and  eaying,^  '*  Just  ;oo 
go  and  do  as  you  are  told  now,  and  no 
nonsense ;"  and  shortly  afterwards  I 
beard  a  sleigh,  with  its  merry  bells, 
leave  the  house.  As  soon  as*  she  had 
resumed  her  seat,  she  asked  a  stranger 
who  sat  next  to  her,  either  to  sinei 
song  or  (0  (ell  a  Kory  ;  and,  upon  bii 
choosing  (lie  la(ter,  inquired  whether  hi 
know  a  good  ghost  story. 
"  No,"  ho  replied,  "  I  have  never  sew 


I 


h 


I  gnosi ; 
leen — som 
*'  Worse 
Kwhatintl 
do  tell  us- 
W^hat  was 
"  I  was  j 
last  week." 
"  Wolve 
lady;  "he 
thing  it  is 
way  here  I 
yoa  suppos 
says,  none 
rince  till  la 
than  half 
now." 

"Noric 
never  will  1 
of  them." 

«  The  fir! 
Miss  Lucy, 
at  Frederic 
About  threi 
were  very 
largo  herds 
species  neve 
and  only  m< 
part  of  Cam 
apparent  in 
that  began 
same  time,  a 
these  anima 
them  across 
ral  packs  of 
to  have  cros 
connects    ^ 
Scotia,  am 
themselves 
get  rid  of 
offers  a  larg 
their  destr^ 
wolf,  and 
nj  opinion, 
Spanish." 

"Did  on 
nip?"  said  ] 
Beler  did 
talk  of  a 
the  jaw  of.  i 
them  bite  y 
"No,"  he 
Ihey  did  no 
"Well,tl 


fi 


r  the  other,  but 
the  dark  rooo, 
),  and  mode  a 
jreakfast  all  in 
toh  of  venison, 
ometits.  That 
lar  long  night, 
toll  after  all  for 
y." 

ig,  although  the 
till  snowed  fast 
Im,  but  Barclay 
lion  of  the  storm 
moon,     llaving 

08  on  the  pre 
Ijottrned  to  the 
ree  o'clock,  for 
J  to  the  rarions 
)ld  by  the  com- 
UBtrative  of  the 
10  people.     The 

time  after  m 
iBultory,  and  not 
however,  agreed 
10  clouds  which 
blue  sky  in  the 
r  of  a  fine  even- 
)le  effect  on  the 
ts  of  every  body. 
ra  of  the  8tag« 
'ds  appeared,  m- 
ariat  department 
[iUcy  on  one  side, 
lino  request  upon 
stinctly  hear,  to 
at  it  was  rather 
assable.  I  heard 
,bout  taking  the 
n,  which  seemed 

went  to  the  kit- 
that  appeared  te 
10,  but  which  was 

the  young  ladj 
aying* "  Ju8tyoi 
old  now,  and  no 
tly  afterwards  I 

its  merry  belk, 
Hoon  as*  she  had 

asked  a  stranget 

either  to  sing  i 
J  ;  and,  upon  nil 
{uired  whether  hi 

ry- 

I  have  never  se« 


THE  KEEPLNO-RuOM  OF  AN  INN. 


141 


I  ghost ;  but  I'll  tell  you  what  I  have 
leen — something  much  worse,  lately." 

"  Worse  than  a  ghost?"  she  replied  ; 
« what  in  the  world  can  that  be  ?  Come, 
do  tell  us — I  like  such  stories  horridly. 
What  was  it  ?" 

'<  I  was  attacked  by  a  pack  of  wolves 
last  week." 

"  Wolves  ["  exclaimed  the  young 
lady;  "  how  shocking  1  what  a  dreadful 
thing  it  is  that  they  have  found  their 
way  here !  Where,  under  the  sun,  do 
you  suppose  they  came  from  ?  for  father 
eays,  none  were  ever  seen  in  this  pro- 
vince till  lost  year ;  and  he  don't  more 
than  half  believe  there  are  any  here 
now." 

«Nor  I  either,"  said  Stephen;  "nor 
never  will  till  I  see  the  marks  of  some 
of  them." 

«  The  first  I  ever  heard  of  the  wolves. 
Miss  Lucy,"  replied  the  stranger,  "  was 
at  Fredericton,  in  the  next  province. 
About  three  years  ago,  the  inhabitants 
vcre  very  much  astonished  at  finding 
largo  herds  of  deer  in  the  woods,  of  a 
upecies  never  seen  in  the  country  before, 
and  only  met  with  in  the  very  northern 
part  of  Canada  ;  but  the  cause  was  soon 
apparent  in  the  great  numbers  of  wolves 
that  began  to  infest  the  forest  at  the 
same  time,  and  who  had  evidently  driven 
these  animals  before  them,  and  hunted 
them  across  that  vast  wilderness.  Seve- 
ral packs  of  wolves  last  year  were  known 
to  have  crossed  the  narrow  isthmus  that 
connects  New  Brunswick  And  Noya 
Scotia,  and,  having  once  established 
themselves  here,  I  fear  we  never  shall 
get  rid  of  them  unless  the  Legislature 
offers  a  large  bounty  to  the  Indians  for 
their  destruction.  It  is  the  Canada 
ffolf,  and  from  being  better  fed,  is,  in 
my  opinion,  a  larger  animal  than  the 
Spanish." 

''  Did  one  of  them  ever  give  you  a 
lip?"  said  Mr.  Richardson,  '-as  Judge 
Beler  did  me?  Heavens  and  earth! 
talk  of  a  wolf's  teeth — it's  nothing  to 
the  jaw  of.  an  old  judge.  Did  any  of 
them  bite  you  ?" 

"  No,"  he  said,  "  I  am  happy  to  say 
they  did  not." 

"Well,  that's  a  pity,  too,"  remarked 


Stephen  ;  "  because  if  cno  of  them  had 
taken  you  by  the  nape  of  the  neck,  an^ 
just  let  his  teeth  meet  through  it,  you'd 
have  had  the  marks,  do  you  se  •.nd 
it's  a  great  satisfaction,  that,  ..  uen  fel- 
lors  don't  believe  you.  I  wish  one  of 
them  had  a-given  you  the  mark  of 
mouth :  I  should  like  to  see  how  ^ey 
write  their  name." 

"Thank  you,"  said  the  other;  "I 
was  not  so  fortuuate,  it  appears,  as  yoo 
were." 

«  They  tell  me,"  said  Stephen,  « if 
you  stoop  doon,  put  your  head  between 
your  knees,  and  look  backwards  to  a 
wolf,  or  a  bear,  or  a  tiger,  or  what  not, 
nothing  in  the  world  dare  face  it.  It 
will  scare  the  devil,  will  a  man's  face 
turned  upside  down.  Particularly  if 
you  can  go  like  a  horn ;  for  music  is 
what  they  can't  stand,  any  how  I  See, 
this  is  the  way,"  and  he  suited  the  action 
to  the  word,  put  himself  in  the  extraor* 
dinary  attitude,  and  made  a  capital 
imitation  of  the  sound  of  a  conch-shell, 
as  blown  at  all  the  farm-houses  in  the 
country,  to  call  the  people  who  are  in 
the  fields  home  to  their  dinner.  The 
third  rehearsal  was  followed  by  just  such 
a  yell  as  he  describes  himself  to  have 
uttered  when  the  ghost  seized  him  by 
the  neck  ;  so  loud,  so  clear,  and  so  ap- 
palling, that  it  was  evident  it  was  not 
designed  as  an  imitation,  but  as  a  mani- 
festation of  fear  or  of  pain.  In  a  mo- 
ment we  were  all  upon  our  feet,  and 
really  the  sight  was  a  most  alarming 
one.  A  little  bull-terrier  of  old  Neal's 
that  lay  under  the  table,  seeing  this  ex* 
traordinary  being  intruding  upon  his 
domain,  and  defying  him  to  combat, 
accepted  the  chaljenge,  and  seized  him 
by  the  nose,  and  it  was  not  without 
great  difficulty  he  was  choked  ofif  and 
expelled  from  the  room.  Stephen  was 
badly  cut,  but  not  dangerously,  and  he 
bore  it  like  a  man.  After  order  was  a 
little  restored,  Miss  Lucy  said, 

"  Now,  Mr.  Richardson,  you  have  ob- 
tained your  wish.  You  have  got  the 
mark  of  truth  stamped  upon  you  a 
second  time.  Your  veracity  is  engraved 
on  both  sides.  Suppose  the  gentleman 
tells  us  the  story  of  the  wolves  1" 


"I 


U3 


THR  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


'  0,  tliotn  curacd  bull-dogs !"  said 
Stitplioii,  wliono  voico  waa  nearly  stifled 
by  II  wet  doth  hold  to  his  nose  ;  ''  those 
bull  doffit  arc  an  exception  to  all  rules. 
Tlic'V  niii't  nfrnid  of  man  or  devil;  but 
I'll  Uit  my  life  on  that  trick,  if  it  was 
trhid  on  a  wolf  But  come,  stranger, 
let's  honr  the  story  of  the  wolves.  I 
iiorte  it  is  n  good  one,  and  that  you  will 
t(dl  it  wolt,  and  then  I  won't  think  so 
much  uf  this  nip  on  the  nose." 

''  Lust  Monday  week,"  said  the  stran- 
ger, "  I  left  Halifax  in  a  sleigh,  with  a 
^oung  friend  of  mine,  for  the  wilderness 
Boyend  Musquedoboit,  for  the  purpose 
of  hnnting  the  moose  and  cariboo  deer. 
We  took  our  provisions,  blankets,  guns, 
and  ammunition  with  us ;  and  having 
met  an  Indian  (Joe  Cope)  by  appoint- 
ment at  the  Thirty-Mile  Inn,  we  left 
our  horse  and  sleigh  there,  and  divided 
our  equipments  into  three  parcels ;  my 
fhiendfand  myself  carrying  the  lighter 
paeks  strapped  in  the  shape  of  knap- 
soekfl  on  our  shoulders,  and  the  Indian 
earrykig  tho  guns  and  heavy  luggage. 
Afl  the  days  are  short  at  this  season  of 
the  year,  wo  only  proceeded  ten  miles 
further,  and  haltod  at  the  log-house  of 
a  ftettler.  whoso  clearings  are  the  last  to 
be  founa  in  that  direction." 

"  You  don't  meam  to  say  you  walked 
ten  whole  miles  in  one  day,  do  you  ?" 
KAJd  Stephen.  "  Why,  that  was  an 
awful  stretch  for  a  hunter  I  Didn't  you 
feel  tired,  old  seven  leaguer  1" 

''  Here  we  spent  the  night,"  continued 
the  itran^cr,  "  and  were  most  hospitably 
received,  and  abundantly  provided  with 
t  DttbHtantinl  and  excellent  supper" 

"(Jftd,  you  needed  it!"  interposed 
Stephen,  "  after  such  an  everlasting  long 
trame." 

"  And  in  the  evening  we  sat  round 
tli<e  fire  and  narrated  stories  as  we  are 
now  doing," 

"  I  hope  they  were  better  ones,"  said 
n,  "  than  this  yarn." 

''"People  who  live  in  the  woods  keep 
good  liours ;  and,  as  we  intended  to  start 
a  little  before  the  dawn  of  day,  we  had 
every  diNposition  to  follow  their  example, 
tnd  retired  early  to  rest.  In  our  ham- 
per of  provision  was  a  bottle  of  brandy ; 


add  before  I  went  to  bed  I  offered  somi 
to  the  family ;  but  they  declined,  say' 
ing.  they  never  drank  any  kind  of  ar 
dent  spirits.  The  Indian  had  no  such 
seniles,  and  took  off  his  glas.s  with 
great  apparent  relish,  observing,  that 
the  strong  water  was  very  good.  Thn 
settler  remarked,  that  though  none  of 
his  family  used  any  thing  of  the  sort, 
there  was  an  old  seamstress,  or  school 
marm,  in  the  house  who  did,  when  sh« 
could  get  it,  which  was  very  seldom" — - 

"  Poor  old  cutter ! "  said  Stephen. 

"  And  begged  me  give  her  a  little 
when  she  came  in.  Accordingly,  when 
Aunty,  as  she  was  called,  made  her  ap- 
pearance, I  offered  her  some  of  the 
creature  comfort,  which  she  accepted 
with  apparent  hesitation." 

"  As  gals  do  kisses,"  said  Stephen ; 
for  which  indecent  interruption,  he  was 
severely  rebuked  by  Miss  Lucy,  and 
positively  ordered  either  to  be  quiet  or 
to  leave  the  room. 

"  The  old  lady  made  many  previous 
inquiries  about  its    strength,  and  ci- 

Eressed  great  fears  as  to  its  effect  on 
er  head.  Her  relish,  however,  not- 
withstanding her  apprehensions,  was 
not  less  than  that  of  the  Indian." 

"  I'll  answw  for  it,"  said  Stephen, 
"  she  made  awful  wry  faces,  and  shook 
her  head,  and  hissed  through  her  teeth 
like  a  goose  arter  it  slipped  down,  a; 
much  as  to  say,  '  Don't  think  I  like  it, 
or  am  used  to  it,  for  it's  as  hot  as 
fire!'" 

"  We  now  separated  for  the  night 
each  one  retiring  to  his  bed,  except  the 
Indian,  who  made  up  the  fire,  "nd, 
stretching  himself  out  on  the  hearth, 
was  asleep  almost  before  his  limbs  had 
settled  into  their  place.  In  the  morn- 
ing, Joe  Cope  called  us  before  the  break 
of  day,  our  traps  were  again  packed,  and 
we  took  a  hasty  breakfast,  and  entered 
the  forest.  While  putting  up  the  things, 
I  observed  that  the  brandy-bottle  was 
nearly  «mpty,  and  blamed  myself  for 
having  left  it  wit'-'n  reach  of  an  Indian, 
whose  thirst  is  generally  insatiable. 
After  the  cold  exposure  and  fatigue  of 
a  day's  hunting,  a  little  brandy  in  i 
great  restorative" 


[  offered  soni 
declined,  say. 
ly  kiud  of  ar- 
il ad  no  such 
is  glass  with 
bserving,  that 
•y  good.  Thi! 
)ugh  none  of 
g  of  the  sort, 
ess,  or  school- 
did,  when  sh« 

y  seldom" 

id  Stephen. 
e  her  a  little 
ordingly,  when 
,  made  ner  ap- 
'  some  of  the 
she    accepted 

said  Stephen; 
ruption,  he  was 
iss    Lucy,  and 

to  be  quiet  or 

many  previous 
bngth,  and  ei- 
-  its  effect  on 
however,  not- 
ehensions,  was 
Indian." 
said   Stephen, 
aces,  and  shook  I 
■ough  her  teeth 
ipped  down,  as  | 
think  I  like  it, 
it's  as  hot  as  { 

for  the  night 
bed,  except  the 

the  fire,  "nd, 

on  the  hearth, 
e  his  limb3  had  I 
In  the  morn- 
hefore  the  break  I 
gain  packed,  and 
ist,  and  entered  | 
ng  up  the  things, 
randy-bottle  was 
med  myself  for 

,chof  an  Indian, 
rally  insatiable. 
6  and  fatigue  of  I 

tie  brandy  i«  >  I 


THE  KEEPINO-ROOM  OF  AN  INN. 


148 


••  Lord  bless  you,"  said  Stephen,  "  it 
wouldn't  hurt  you  at  no  time ! " 

"  And  such  a  sensible  diminution  of 
the  stock  I  felt  to  bo  an  irreparable  loss ; 
but  it  was  done,  and  it  was  no  use  to 
eommence  our  excursion  with  scolding ; 
■0  I  swallowed  the  disappointment  in- 
stead of  the  brandy,  and  proceeded." 

*•  About  as  bad  a  swap  as  you  ever 
made  in  all  your  life!"  added  Stephen. 

"  After  travelling  some  two  or  three 
miles,  Mr.  Joe  Cope,  who  had  never 
spoken  a  word  since  we  left  the  house 
(for  Indians  seldom  talk  when  travel- 
ling), asked  me  abruptly  if  I  had  missed 
any  brandy.  I  replied  I  had  observed 
that  the  bottle  was  not  so  full  as  I  ex- 
pected." 

*"Ah,'  said  he,  '  sarten  white  woman 
very  fond  of  big  drink!' 

"'What  do  you  mean  by  that?'  I  in- 
quired. 

"'Why,'  aid  Joe,  'Indgens,  you 
know,  always  sleep  with  one  ear  open, 
and  when  that  goes  to  sleep  t'other  one 
opens.  Well,  last  night,  maybe  twelve 
o'clock,  I  hear  door  move  softly ;  open 
ear  wakes  t'other  ear,  and  I  listened. 
Well,  old  Aunty  come  out  and  look  all 
round  the  room,  then  stop,  then  come 
where  Joe  was,  look  all  over  him,  and 
sec  Joe  fast  asleep,  then  she  go  to  table, 
aiid  pour  out  one  very  big  drink,  holdin' 
breath  good  spell  while  going  down 
throat  easy,  then  give  one  long  soft 
blow,  all  same  as  puff  of  smoke,  which 
mean,  very  good  dat  brandy — feel  all 
over — good.  Then  she  go  softly  back, 
gettum  in  bed,  but  no  fasten  door. 
Aunty  no  afraid  of  Indgens  scalp  her 
that  night,  so  she  leave  door  just  so,'  put- 
ting his  two  hands  together,  but  not  allow- 
ing them  to  touch  each  other.  '  Well, 
about  four,  maybe,  this  morning,  Aunty 
comes  agin,  walkin'  on  toe,  take  another 
very  big  suck  at  bottle,  walkin'  back  on 
heel  though  that  time,  very  heavy — 
clump,  clump,  clump — and  shut  up  door 
bang,  and  go  in  bed  agin  very  heavy,  all 
same  as  one  lump.  Sarten  white  woman 
very  fond  of  big  drink ! '  said  Joe." 

"  I  say,  stranger,"  said  Mr.  Stephen 
Richardson,  with  a  very  snuffling  into- 
nation of  voice,  "  I  thought  you  was  a- 


goin'  to  tell  us  of  the  wolves.  Wbaf  i 
that  old  woman  taking  your  brindy  got 
to  do  with  it  ?  " 

"  That  was  a  very  fatiguing  day.  We 
walked  with  our  loads  twenty-two  miles 
into  the  close  forest,  and  then  we  came 
to  a  barren,  which,  though  only  three 
miles  wide,  where  we  emerged,  stretched 
away  to  the  right  as  far  as  we  could  see. 
I  proposed  encamping  for  the  nigh»  at 
the  edge  of  this  open  plain,  so  that  we 
might  avail  ourselves  of  the  shelter,  and 
commence  our  hunt  in  the  morning,  aa 
the  Indian  told  us  we  were  certain  of 
meeting  with  the  moose  and  cariboo  on 
its  skirts,  iu  consequence  of  the  herbage 
to  be  found  under  the  snow  in  certain 
wild  meadows  it  contained.  But  Joe, 
with  his  usual  sagacity,  said,  we  were  to 
windward,  that  our  fire  would  cer- 
tainly be  scented  by  the  deer,  and  we 
should  find  them  too  wild  to  be  ap- 
proached, and  advised  us  to  cross  over 
to  the  other  side  before  we  bivouacked." 

"  Why,  in  course,"  said  Stephen,  "  it 
sta.".ds  to  reason :  any  fool  knows  yoa 
can't  throw  hot  ashes  to  windward  with 
out  hnrting  your  eyes." 

"  We  pushed  across  the  plain,  there- 
fore, with  what  speed  we  could.  The 
tracks  of  wild  animals  now  became  yerj 
numerous.  Those  of  the  moose,  cariboo, 
wild-cat,  loup  cervier,  foxes,  and  wolvee 
even,  were  plainly  distinguishable  on 
the  fresh  snow." 

"Why,  man  alive!"  said  Stephen, 
"  did  you  expect  to  see  the  tracks  of  tame 
animals  there  ? " 

*'  The  latter  I  had  never  seen,"  con 
tinned  the  stranger,  ^  for,  as  I  have  be 
fore  observed,  they  had  only  arrived  in 
the  province  about  two  years.  When 
we  had  advanced  to  within  a  short  dis- 
tance of  the  opposite  side,  a  herd  of 
cariboo  suddenly  turned  the  wooded 
promontory  before  us,  and  passed  to  the 
left  in  a  smart  trot. 

"'Take  the  leader,'  said  the  Indian, 
handing  me  a  gun.  '  Be  cool,  and  take 
steady  aim ;  and  if  be  wounds  him,' 
addressing  my  companion,  and  giving 
him  the  other  gun,  '  do  you  fire  at  the 
same  one,  or  you  may  wound  two,  and 
get  neither.' 


•■    ii 


tf    ■'-• 


*' 


1 


tr 


(44 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  i  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLOXT. 


,1     I 


,»     f 


■I  p1*^. 


'■  Following  bis  instructions,  I  took 
deliberate  uiin  ut  tbo  first  of  tbe  file, 
and  brouglit  bini  down ;  but  he  was  al- 
niust  immediately  up  and  in  motion 
again,  when  my  friend  fired  and  killed 
him.  It  was  a  fine  fat  buck ;  but  the 
Indian  gavo  us  but  little  time  for  exam- 
ination or  exultation.  He  urged  ua  to 
seek  the  cover  immediately  and  encamp 
for  the  night,  ns  the  day  was  now  far 
■pent,  and  darkness  fast  approaching, 
and  promised  to  return  iiimself  forth- 
with and  secure  the  haunches.  We  ac- 
cordingly pushed  on,  forgetful  of  all 
fatigue,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  axe 
was  at  work  in  erecting  a  temporary 
shelter,  and  in  preparing  firewood  for 
the  night." 

"  Who  in  the  world  ever  heard  of 
using  an  axe.  and  making  a  fire  right 
among  deer?"  said  Stephen.  "Town- 
hunters  and  officers  beat  all  natur.  They 
walk  a  mile  and  then  stop  to  drink,  and 
one  mile  more  and  stop  to  eat,  and  one 
mile  further  and  stop  to  smoke,  and 
another  mile  and  then  want  to  rest,  and 
ihen  manage  four  miles  more  arter  four 
more  stops,  and  camp  for  the  night. 
Then  they  send  an  Indian  ahead  to 
shoot  a  moose,  and  come  back  and  say, 
what  fine  fun  deer-hunting  is ! " 

"  As  soon  as  the  poles  were  adjusted 
for  receiving  the  spruce  boughs,  which 
we  were  instructed  how  to  entwine,  Joe 
Cope  took  two  large  sheets  of  birchen 
bark  in  which  the  luggage  was  inclosed, 
and  slinging  them  with  thongs  over  his 
shoulder,  reloaded  a  gun,  and  returned 
to  the  cariboo.  It  was  quite  dark  when 
he  made  his  appearance  with  his  load 
of  venison  ;  but  we  had  completed  our 
arrangements  for  the  night.  Light 
spruce  boughs  were  spread  for  our  bed, 
the  exterior  co'/erin^;  of  branches  ex- 
cluded the  wind,  and  a  good  blazing  fire 
was  ready  for  cooking  our  steaks.  Joe 
shook  his  head. 

'''Ah,'  said  he,  'sarten  white  man 
scare  more  nor  kill  I ' 

"  He  immediately  piled  more  spruce 
boughs  on  the  outer  covering,  carefully 
■topping  up  every  crevice  where  the  fire 
light  could  bo  seen,  and  then  hanging  a 


blanket  over  the  narrow  door-way,  eoio 
monoed  preparing  the  steaks. 

" '  Sarten/  he  said, '  wulf  hunts  well 
When  I  come  to  the  barren,  wolf  ha^ 
got  there  afore  niu,  and  was  making 
supper  off  cariboo  without  cooking ' 

"  The  steaks  were  excellent  I  had 
toiled  hard  " 

"  Very,"  said  Stephen.  "  Tt  is  a  won- 
der it  didn't  kill  you  !" 

"  Was  very  hungry,  and  made  a  cap 
ital  supper.  The  bruiidy  bottle  was 
then  produced,  but  its  consumptive  ap- 
pearance gave  too  sure  indication  that 
its  end  was  fast  approaching. 

"  '  Sarten,'  said  Joe.  who  participated 
in  our  disappointment,  '  Sarten,  white 
woman  very  fond  of  big  drink  I'  " 

"It's  a  pity,  then,  you  hadn't  been 
fond  of  a  big  bottle  yourself,"  said 
Stephen.  "  What  the  plague  was  a 
quart  among  three  people^" 

"Such  a  day  of  fatigue,  terminated 
by  such  a  supper,  soon  disposed  us  all 
for  sleep ;  and  having  examined  the 
priming  of  our  guns,  and  put  them  in  a 
place  secure  from  accident,  and  replen- 
ished our  fire,  we  stretched  out  for  re- 
pose. My  friend  and  the  Indian  were 
soon  asleep ;  but  the  novelty  of  tbe 
scene,  the  entire  loneliness  of  our  situ- 
ation, the  vivid  rec>'>liection  of  the 
slaughter  of  the  deer,  the  excitement 
occasioned  by  th<)  numerous  traces  of 
wild  beasts  in  our  immediate  neighbor- 
hood, and  the  last  story  of  the  wolf,  whose 
howl  I  could  now  distinctly  hear  in 
tbe  direction  of  the  carcass,  caused  such 
a  quick  succession  of  ideas,  that  it  was 
nearly  an  hour  before  I  dropped  into  a 
sound  sleep.  How  long  I  was  in  that 
state  of  oblivion  I  cannot  tell,  but, 
judging  by  the  state  of  the  fire,  which 
was  then  reduced  to  a  licap  of  glowing 
coals,  it  must  have  bocu  about  mid- 
night " 

"  As  to  that,"  said  Stephen,  «  \t  de- 
pends on  the  nature  uf  the  fuel.  If  it 
was  soft  wood,  it  would  burn  out  in  an 
hour ;  if  hard  wood,  it  would  keep  alive 
all  night." 

"  When  I  was  disturbed  by  sometbinc 
like  a  growL     The  piuce  where  I  has 


hid  doWE 
ind  1  hac 
tbo  fire." 
«  Then 
yott  oughl 
Stephen. 

"  When 
my  const 
tercd  thoB 
attracted 
I  bd  truceu 
tbe  poles  ( 
ed  most  t 
I  svay  the  1 
o^jr  the 
their  backi 
tod  their  \ 
light,  and 
growl,  and 
I  belpless  a 
tboaght  wi 
they  were 
tbe  stakes 
falling  and 
fore,  wholly 
oafaside,  an( 
I  of  fire  that 
completely 
I  tboaght  me 
only  get  at 

I  if  I  could  n( 

I I  should  at 
"What 

jLuoy.  " 
hery  awfu 
I  It  the  knife 

"Thek 
I  my  coat,  a 
liide.  I  ca 
I  me,  and 
I  little,  so 
I  hand  into  t 
■extract  it  i 
I  mean  time, 
JiD  inch  or 
I  them 


c< 


seem 


n 


qui 

ling  my  eye 
land  seized 

"Show 
jl^show  me 
Jit!  Hang  i 
fyour  head 

"Do  be 


"Hi  • 


untB  \7ell 
wolf  ha^ 
9  m»kiug 
•king ' 
it     I  had 

[t  is  a  won- 

lade  a  cap 
bottle  was 
mptive  ap- 
sation  that 

tarticipated 
irten,  white 
ik  I'  " 
ladn't  been 
•self,"  said 
gue  was  a 

terminated 

losed  us  all 

amined  the 

it  them  in  a 

and  replen- 

out  for  re- 
Indian  were 
elty  of  the 
of  our  sitn- 
lon    of   the 

excitement 
13  traces  of 
lie  neighbor- 
e  wolf,  whose 
ctly  hear  in 
caused  such 
^  that  it  was 
opped  into  a 
was  in  that 
ot  tell,  but, 
16  fire,  which 
,p  of  glowing 

about  mid- 

phen,  "  \t  de- 
fuel.  If  it 
urn  out  in  an 
lid  keep  alive 

by  something 
where  I  had 


THE  KEEPINOROOM  OF  AN  INN. 


Itid  down  was  just  opposite  to  the  door, 
ind  1  had  fallen  asleep  with  my  face  to 
the  fire." 

"  Then  you  just  had  your  head  where 
Tou  ought  to  have  bad  your  feet,"  said 
Stephen. 

»  When  I  opened  my  eyes,  judg't  of 
my  consternation  when  they  encoun- 
tered those  of  three  or  four  wolves,  who, 
attracted  by  the  smell  of  the  venison, 
had  traced  it  to  our  camp,  from  one  of 
the  poles  of  which  it  now  hung  suspend- 
ed most  temptingly.  They  had  torn 
away  the  blanket  which  had  been  hung 
o^jt  the  door,  and  there  they  stood, 
their  backs  bristled,  their  eyes  glaring, 
mi  their  white  teeth  glistening  in  the 
light,  and  uttering  a  sort  of  suppressed 
growl,  and  just  ready  to  spring  on  their 
helpless  and  drowsy  prey.  My  first 
thought  was  of  the  guns ;  but,  alas ! 
they  were  close  to  the  enemy,  tied  to 
the  stakes  of  the  wigwam,  for  fear  of 
falling  and  doing  mischief,  and,  there- 
fore, wholly  out  of  reach.  The  axe  was 
outside,  and  there  was  not  even  a  brand 
of  fire  that  could  be  grasped,  all  was  so 
completely  burnt  to  coals.  I  then  be- 
thought me  of  my  long  knife  :  if  I  could 
only  get  at  that  and  open  it,  I  felt  that, 
if  I  could  not  defend  myself  successfully, 
I  should  at  least  die  hard." 

"  What  a  beautiful  story !"  said  Miss 
Lucy.  '•  That  is  very  exciting  I  It's 
very  awful !  Tell  us  quick,  did  you  get 
It  the  knife?" 

"  The  knife  was  in  the  left  pocket  of 
my  coat,  and  1  was  lying  on  my  left 
tide.  I  carefully  put  my  arm  behind 
me,  and  cautiously  raised  my  body  a 
little,  so  as  to  enable  me  to  put  my 
hand  into  the  pocket ;  but  I  could  not 
extract  it  without  turning  over.  In  the 
mean  time,  they  kept  slowly  advancing, 
ID  inch  or  so  at  a  time ;  and  one  of 
them,  seeing  the  meat  within  his  reach, 
became  quite  enraged,  when,  encounter- 
ing my  eyes,  he  sprang  across  the  fire, 
and  seized  me  by  the  throat  in  a  minute." 

"  Show  me  the  marks !"  said  Stephen ; 
'•show  me  the  marks,  and  I'll  believe 
it!  Hang  it,  man,  if  you  had  only  a-put 
your  head  between  your  legs  " 

"  Do  be  quiet,"  said  Miss  Lucy,  "  and 
10 


145 
So 


let  him  go  on  ;   you  spoil  the  story  ! 
he  caught  you  by  the  throat  V 

"  Yes,  he  caught  me  by  the  throat. 
But  at  that  instant  I  sprang  to  my  feet, 
called  out  to  the  Indian,  and  hoped  by 
the  first  shook  to  force  the  animal  over 
on  the  fire.  Ho  had  loosened  his  grip, 
and  I  now  had  him  by  tiio  windpipe ; 
but  it  required  the  whole  of  my  muscu- 
lar strength  to  hold  him,  while  I  passed 
my  eye  in  rapid  succession  from  one  to 
the  other  of  his  companions,  who  stood 
ready  to  spring  on  me,  and  tear  me  to 
pieces.  While  thus  engaged,  the  wolf 
with  which  I  was  in  contact,  by  one  dcs- 
pe/ate  effort,  threw  mo  on  my  back,  and 
the  whole  were  instantly  upon  mo. 

"  '■  Sarten,'  said  Joe  Cope,  '  sarten 
white  man  mad!  What  you  choking 
Joe  for  ?*  said  he. 

"  '  0  Joe,'  I  said, '  my  g«)od  fellow,  I 
hope  I  haven't  hurt  you  I  I  w>^s  dream- 
ing, and  I  thought  I  was  attacked  by 
the  wolves.' 

" '  Ah  I'  he  said ;  '  sarten  white  mnn 
eat  too  much  supper.'  " 

«  Well,  and  what  then  ?"  said  Ste- 
phen. 

"  Why,  that's  all,"  replied  the  stran- 
ger. 

"  All  I"  said  Stephen,  in  great  aston- 
ishment. "  Why,  man  alive,  it's  no 
story  at  all,  or  else  you  don't  know  how 
to  tell  it  I  You  might  as  well  call  half 
an  apple  a  whole  apple.  If  you  cut  off 
a  dog's  tail,  it's  a  dog  still,  do  you  see  ? 
cr  dock  a  horse,  thero  is  the  horse  left 
to  the  lore,  and,  perhaps,  looking  all  the 
better  of  it  But  a  story  is  like  a  snake, 
all  tail  from  the  head ;  and  if  you  cut 
there,  you  don't  strike  the  tail  off,  but 
cut  the  head  off.  You  knock  the  life 
out  of  it  at  oncet — kill  it  as  dead  as  a 
herring.  Your  story  is  like  a  broken 
needle,  it  has  got  no  point ;  or  like  an 
axe  without  an  edge,  as  dull  as  a  hoe. 
Take  my  advice,  my  old  moose-misser, 
and  the  very  next  time  you  are  axed  to 
sing  a  song  or  spin  a  yarn,  choose  the 
first.  It's  better  to  si.  g  a  ditty  that 
has  no  tune,  than  tell  a  story  that  has 
no  fun." 

"  Why,  how  would  you  have  me  tell 
it  ?"  said  the  discomfited  stranger. 


.r*> 


■'  s 

i  ■ 


^u,» 


'A 

P: 

t*  V 


'M 


r' 


f.|> 


I    ) 


\*    '- 


146 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


I       ,  "' 


m. 


"  You  might  as  lyell,"  rejoined  Ste- 
phen, ''  ask  me  what  I  say  when  I  say 
nothing,  as  to  ask  me  how  to  tell  a  story 
that  is  no  btory.  If  I  was  to  be  so  bold 
as  to  offer  my  advice,  I  should  say  tell 
it  short,  this  way — 

"  Once  upon  a  time,  when  pigs  were 
swine,  and  turkeys  chewed  tobacco,  and 
little  birds  built  their  nests  in  old  men's 
beards,  a  youngster  that  had  no  beard 
went  out  a-hunting.     He  thought  he 


covld  shoot,  but  couldn't ;  for  he  fired 
at  a  cariboo  and  missed  it :  was  fright' 
ened  to  see  the  tracks  of  wild  beasta  in- 
stead of  tame  ones,  in  the  woods ;  ate 
for  his  supper  what  he  neither  killed 
nor  cooked  ;  got  the  nightmare  ;  'fancied 
he  saw  three  hungry  wolves,  woke  up 
and  found  but  one,  and  that  was  him- 
self. No^,  there  is  the  hair  and  head, 
body  and  bones,  and  sum  and  substance, 
of  your  everlasting  '  long  story.'  " 


THE  KEEPING-ROOM  OF  AN  INN. 

No.  IV.— THE  CUSHION  DANCE. 


The  storm  baffled  by  its  long  con- 
tinuance all  the  signs  and  prognostics 
upon  which  Mr.  Richardson  usually  re- 
lied. He  made  frequent  reference  to 
the  almanac,  to  ascertain  the  age  of  the 
moon  and  the  state  of  the  tide,  predict- 
ing that  it  would  cease  at  the  ebb  or  the 
flood  of  the  latter,  or  the  rising  or  set- 
ting of  the  former ;  and  admitted,  that 
every  rule  of  experience  had  failed  him 
but  one,  namely,  that  when  the  first 
quarter  of  the  moon  happens — as  upon 
the  present  occasion — to  occur  late  in 
the  afternoon,  snow  or  rain  is  apt  to 
fall  during  the  greater  part  of  the  fol- 
lowing weok.  This  last  hypothesis  was 
a  great  comfort  to  him,  as  he  prided 
himself  not  a  little  upon  his  knowledge 
of  the  weather  and  appeared,  like  most 
other  observers  of  the  heavens,  to  have 
a  theory  to  suit  every  contingency. 
The  little  patch  of  blue  sky  before-men- 
tioned had  now  gradually  enlarged 
itself,  until  it  extended  over  the  whole 
heavens,  and  ttie  sun  set  clear  and  un- 
clouded, and  was  succeeded  by  a  fine 
starlight  night  The  scene  was  so  quiet 
and  so  beautiful,  it  was  difficult  to 
imagine  that  wo  had  just  emerged  from 
a  storm  of  such  extraordinary  violence 
and  duration. 

"  Look  at  that !"  said  Stephen  exult- 
ingly :  "  didn't  I  tell  you  so  ?  I  know- 
od  how  it  would  bo  when  them  other 
aiauR  <iailed  (for  there  is  no  rule  without 


an  exception) ;  and  I  never  was  beat 
yet,  though  I  must  say  this  was  a  diffi- 
cult case.  Tell  you  what,  it  standi  a 
farmer  in  hand  to  study  the  sky  and 
the  marks  of  water  and  earth,  so  as  to 
look  out  in  time  for  falling  weather, 
who  has  hay  to  make  and  get  in,  and 
grain  to  stook  and  to  carry  to  home. 
I'll  back  an  old  farmer  and  an  old  spi- 
der agin  all  the  world  for  a  knowledge 
of  these  subjects ;  for  as  for  sailors,  I 
never  see  one  yet  that  knew  any  thing 
about  the  matter  but  this — that  when 
it  ble^  hard  it  was  time  to  shorten  sail. 
I'll  tell  you  the  difference,  it's  juiit 
this : — The  farmer  has  got  his  own  crop 
and  his  own  food  to  save ;  the  sailor, 
the  sails  and  rigging,  and  beef  and  peri; 
of  his  owner ;  and  it  stands  to  reason- 
seeing  that  the  skin  is  nearer  than  the 
shirt — that  the  farmer  must  know  the 
most." 

And  then  soliloquizing  aloud,  rather 
than  addressing  any  one  in  particular, 
ho  continued — 

"  WL.it  in  natur  becomes  of  all  them 
endless  numbers  of  clouds  that  have  pass- 
ed over  to  the  westward  these  two  days! 
A  body  would  think,  when  they  meet  a 
head-wind  they  would  have  to  return 
hadk  agin  to  where  they  come  from,  for 
that  seems  agreeable  to  the  course  of 
things  in  a  general  way.  I  wonder  wheth- 
er a  wester  begin.s  lower  than  them,  get* 
under  them,  and  shoves  thorn  right  up 


swamps, 


^f.f*f 


TH^  CUSHION  DANCE. 


147 


;  for  he  fired 
t :  was  fright' 
ffild  beasts  in> 
he  woods ;  ate 
neither  killed 
;mare ;  fancied  | 
jives,  woke  up 
that  waH  him- 
hair  and  head, 
and  substance, 
;  story.' " 


never  was  beat| 
this  was  a  dif 
hat,  it  standi  a 
idy  the  sky  and 
i  earth,  so  as  to 
falling  weather, 
and  get  in,  and 

carry  to  home. 

and  an  old  gpi- 
for  a  knowledge 
as  for  sailors,  I 
knew  any  thing 
this — that  when  | 
B  to  shorten  sail. 
jrence,  it's  just 
got  his  own  crop 
ave;  the  sailor, 
id  beef  and  pork 
ands  to  reason— I 

nearer  than  the 

must  know  the 

ng  aloud,  rather 
•ne  in  particular, 

Dmes  of  all  them 
ds  that  have  pass- 

these  two  days! 
hen  they  meet  a 

have  to  return 
y  come  from,  for 
;o  the  course  of 

I  wonder  whetb 
sr  than  them,  gets 
!S  them  right  up 


out  of  sight,  and  clears  them  off  that 
iraj,  or  kinder  splits  them  in  two  like  a 
wedge,  and  throws  one-half  north  and 
t'other  half  south  ?    That's  a  thing,  now, 
I  should  like  to  know,  for  it  has  always 
kind  of  puzeled  me.     There's  something 
very  odd  about  all. winds.     The  south 
wind  seems  to  uncork  all  drains,  and 
Bwamps,  and  such  things,  and  you  can 
actually  smell  it  hours  and  hours  afore 
it  comes ;  and  in  spring  and  fall  it  sends 
ahead  a  little  white  frost,  as  a  kind  of 
notice  that  it's  on  the  way.     Well,  the 
east  wind  is  a  searching  one,  too.     It 
gets  into  your  joints,  and  marrow,  and 
bones ;  and  you  can  feel  it  afore  you  see 
it.    If  it  warn't  for  that,  I  don't  think 
we  should  have  any  rheumatis  in  this 
country.     It's  a  bad  wind,  and  brings 
colds,-  and  consumptions,  and  pauper 
emigrants    from    Great    Britain   (that 
know  a  plaguy  sight  more  about  break- 
ing heads  and  houses  than  breaking  up 
lands),  and  fogs  and  saxpwrecks,  and 
rust  in  wheat,  and  low  spirits,  and  every 
thing  bad  onder  the  sun.     A  wester, 
agin,  is  a  blustering  kind  of  boy — comes 
in  a  hullaboUoo,  but-end  foremost,  and 
kicks  away  the  clouds  right  and  left, 
like  any  thing.      It's  a  fine,  healthy, 
manly,  bracing  breeze,  that  west  wind 
of  ours.     You'd  know  it  in  any  part  of 
the  world  if  you  was  to  meet  it,  which 
I'm  told  you  don't,  for  they  say  there's 
nothing  like  it  nowhere  else,     Now,  as 
to  the  north  wind,  I'll  tell  you  what,  I 
wouldn't  just  positively  swear  I   ever 
saw  it  blow  due  north  in  this  province. 
Yet  father  said,  and  always  maintained 
to  his  dying  day,  there  was  no  such  a 
thing  as  a  rael  north  wind  here  ;  and  I 
certainly  don't  mind  of  ever  seeing  it. 
Nor-nor-west  and  nor-nor-east  is  com- 
I  mon  ;  but  a  rael,  genuine  north .  wind, 
I  by  point  of  compass,  I  am  of  opinion  is 
a  thing  we  have  to  make  acquaintance 
with  yet " 

"  Ah."  said  Miss  Lucy,  who  just  then 

I  resumed  her  scat, "  this  is  too  bad  !  All 

these    stories  end  in   disappointment. 

The  judge's  ghost  turns   out  nothing 

I  but  a  madman ;  thewolves  are  only  seen 

in  a  dream ;  and  the  devil,  after  all,  is 

linorelv  a  fox." 


"  Yes,"  said  Stephen ;  "  and  a  most 
particular  sly  old  fox  too.  Did  you 
never  know  that  before,  miss  7  But 
that's  only  one  of  his  shapes  Some- 
times he  comes  in  the  form  of  a  lawyer 
(giving  a  knowing  wink  to  Barclay), 
with  a  tongue  as  slippery  as  an  eel — 
cheat  his  master  amost ;  sometimes 
(looking  at  me  as  if  he  suspected  I  was 
a  military  man  talking  down  to  my 
hearers)  as  a  sodger-officer,  with  a  scarlet 
coat,  gold  epaulettes,  great  big  sword 
and  spurs,  and  a  whapping  long  feather 
to  catch  young  galls,  as  sportsmen  catoh 
trout  with  a  red  hackle  ;  and  now  and 
agin  (looking  admiringly  at  Miss  Lucy) 
in  the  shape  of  an  everlasting,  hand- 
some, bouncing  lass,  with  an  eye  that 
makes  every  one  as  wicked  as  herself, 
and" 

"  And  sometimes,"  retorted  the  youns 
lady, "  in  the  shape  of  an  u — gly,  o — Id, 
d — isagree — able,  on — mannerly  man, 
that  interrupts  people  so,  that  it's  enough 
to  make  'em  wish  he  was  in  Jericho 
a'most." 

"  Why,  how  you  talk,  miss !"  he  re- 
plied. "  Didn't  I  see  a  ghost,  and  fight 
with  a  ghost,  and  haven't  I  got  the 
marks  to  this  day  ?  What  more  would 
you  have?  And  if  you  prefer  wolf 
stories,  here's  a  chap  that's  not  only  seed 
a  wolf,  but  actually  had  one  get  intQ 
bed  with  him.  Talk  of  romping  !  Gad, 
that's  what  I  call  a  game  of  romps,  in 
rael,  right  down  airneut,  regular  rough 
and  tumble,  without  waitin'  for  tickling. 
Come,  old  Broadcloth,"  said  he,  patting 
Lay  ton  on  the  shoulder, "  tell  the  young 
lady  the  story  of  '  the  awkward  bed- 
fellow.' Tell  her  all  about  the  wolf 
getting  into  bed  along  with  you,  and 
finding  you  so  precious  dry,  bony,  and 
thin,  he  was  afeerd  you'd  turn  the  ta- 
bles on  him,  and  cat  him  up.  and  so 
clawed  right  out  agin." 

Mr.  Lay  ton  was  about  commencing 
his  story  when  the  young  commissary, 
who  had  unpacked  and  produced  his 
violin,  executed  a  flourit<h  or  two  upon 
it  to  ascertain  if  it  was  uninjured,  and 
said — 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  sir,  but  wo  ex- 
pect some  young  ladies  here  presently. 


(t 


ff 


;  I 


N* 


148 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  4N  A  COLONY. 


I  hope  yon  will  ezouse  me,  therefore,  for 
just  suggesting  tha  propriety  of  coming 
to  the  point  as  soon  as  you  conveniently 
can." 

"'  Coming  to  Frink,'  you  mean,"  said 
Stephen.  "  Coming  to  the  point  is  old- 
fashioned,  and  has  no  fun  in  it ;  but, 
'  Come  to  Frink,'  is  all  the  go  now.  I'll 
tell  ^ou  how  that  sayin'  was  raised. 
Oncet  upon  a  time,  in  the  House  of  As- 
sembly in  New  Brunswick,  there  was  a 
committee  a-sitting  on  a  petition  of  a 
harbor-master  called  Frink,  and  the  law- 
yers talked  about  every  thing,  as  they 
always  do,  but  the  petition ;  and  an  old 
member,  who  got  tired  out,  and  a'most 
wearied  to  death  with  their  long  yarns, 
used  to  stop  them  every  minute,  and  say, 
'  Come  to  Frink ;'  and  when  they  wan- 
dered o£f  he'd  fetch  'em  back  agin  with 
»  voice  of  thunder,  '  Why  don't  you 
oome  to  Frink  ?'  His  manner  and  ac- 
cent was  RO  droll,  for  he  talked  broad 
Scotch  (which  is  a  sort  of  howl,  growl, 
and  bark,  all  in  one),  it  made  every  body 
laugh  a'most ;  and  now  it's  a  by-word  all 
over  that  province,  in  the  legislatur,  and 
courts,  and  story-telling,  and  every 
where,  *  Come  to  Frink.'  Now  Broad- 
cloth," he  said,  turning  to  Layton,  "  you 
understand  the  gentleman.  So,  '  oome 
to  Frink.' " 

Mr.  Layton,  as  I  have  before  observ- 
ed, was  a  gentleman  that  was  evidently 
on  very  good  terms  with  himself  and 
the  world.  He  was  quite  satisfied  with 
his  own  appearance  and  importance,  and 
being  fully  impressed  with  the  belief 
that  every  body  coincided  in  opinion 
with  him,  his  face  (now  that  he  had  no 
grievance  to  relate)  beamed  with  self- 
complacency.  He  was  a  short,  thin  man, 
very  erect,as  most  short  men  are  (for  they 
feel  that  they  cannot  afford  to  stoop), 
and  dressed  with  considerable  attention 
to  what  he  considered  the  most  becom- 
ing manner,  and  cultivated  a  very  im- 
posing pair  of  whiskers,  cut  and  trimmed 
in  a  way  to  show  that  he  had  visited 
foreign  climes  ;  for  he  had  been  as  far 
as  Newfoundland  on  one  side,  and  Ber- 
muda on  the  other.  He  was,  as  my 
friend  Barclay  told  me,  one  of  a  very 
namerous  class  of  persons  in  Nova  Sco- 


tia, who,  inheriting  an  excellent  farm, 
soon   found  that  even  farms  must  be 
worked  to  be  productive,  and  that  if  a 
store   (as  a  retail  shop  is  universally 
called  here)  be  added  to  their  other  em< 
ployments,  the  profits  of  their  trade  will 
enable  them  to  dispense  with  personal 
labor,  and  furnish  an  easy   and  com- 
fortable road  on  which  to  travel  to  an 
independent  fortune.     This  road,  how- 
ever, is,  at  very  short  distances,  so  in- 
tersected by  other  broader  and  easier 
roads,  that  lead,  some  to  the  seaside, 
where  there  are  frequent  opportunities 
to  Texas,  some  to  the  court-house,  others 
to  taverns,  and  most  of  them  to  a  man- 
sion, vulgarly  called  the  jail,  that  it  un- 
fortunately happens  many  people  miss 
their  way,  and  what  is  worse,  seldom  dis- 
cover their  error  until  the  day  is  too  far 
spent  to  return  in  safety.     Mr.  Layton, 
besides  being  a  farmer  and  trader,  was 
a  justice  of  the  peace,  a  commissioner  of 
sewers  for  the  drainage  of  the  vast  alh' 
vial  meadows  of  his  county,  a  major  in 
the  militia,  a  supervisor  of  schools,  and 
a  trustee  of  an  academical  institution  in 
his  own  township.    He  had  read  a  good 
deal,  for  he  took  all  the  newspapers 
published  at  Halifax,  and  had  studied 
the  dictionary  in  a  manner  that  enabled 
him  often  to  detect  inaccuracies  in  the 
pronunciation  and  orthography  of  those 
who  had  had  the  benefit  of  a  better  edu- 
cation.    He  was  wont,  I  was  iold,  to 
relate  with  great  pride,  a  philologica) 
discussion  he  had  had  with  an  usher  of 
Tadpole    Academy,  about  the  proper 
mode  of   spelling    College,  which  k* 
maintained,  by  analogy  to  Knowledge. 
ought  to  be  written  with  a  d.    The  usher, 
who  knew  as  little  of  etymology  as  him- 
self, admitted  that  he  was  of  the  samt  I 
opinion,  but  said,  antiquity  was  on  the 
other  side.     Colleges,  he  observed,  were  | 
established  before  our  language  was  set- 
tled, and   the  d  having  been   omitted  I 
originally,  the  word  had  come  down  tons 
with  its  present  number  of  letters,  and 
it  was  too  late  now  to  alter  it.     If  thit 
explanation  was  too  far-fetched,  it  was, 
at  all  events  too  plausible  to  be  refuted 
by  Mr.  Layton,  who  always  contented 
himself  by  remarking,  with  a  sneer- 1 


river,  my  ( 
"Really 
Ltyton,  ris 
"  Jimmj 
little  brot 
has  alreadj 
Stephen's 
up  to  bed.' 
«  For  gi 
tiring  in  t! 
you  do,  I'l 
lie'll  carry 
told  you, 
ray  way. 
I  every  body 
I  get  the  bes 
it;  for,  in 
from  mo 
I  my  pipe's 
land  I  won': 
he  said,  tu 
to  Newfoi 


THE  CUSHION  DANCE. 


14b 


«  That  it  was  rather  hard  college  men 
couldn't  spell  the  name  of  their  own  in- 
gtitution."  Those  numerous  offices  held 
by  Mr.  Layton,  however  honorable  they 
might  be  in  the  estimation  of  his  poor 
neighbors,  were  all,  alas !  rather  sources 
of  expense  than  income  to  him — the 
farm  and  the  "store"  being  his  main 
reliance.  Either  of  those  would  have 
insured  the  possessor  a  comfortable  and 
independent  support;  but  their  unfortu- 
nate union,  like  an  ill-assorted  match, 
soon  produced  mutual  neglect,  and,  it 
was  evident,  would  terminate  in  the  ruin 
of  both.  Such  was  the  gentleman  who 
now  related  to  us  his  adventure  with 
the  wolf 

"  I  live,"  he  said,  "  on  the  Kentville 
river,  in  Aylesford  " 

"  Not  on  the  river,"  said  Stephen, 
"for  that  is  not  die —  or  gram —  either, 
my  old  amphibious  boy ;  nor  yet  in  th- 
river,  for  your  father  pulled  you  out  of 
that  many  a  long  day  ago,  and  hung 
you  up  to  dry.  You  look,  for  all  the 
world,  more  like  a  salmon  caught  at  the 
wrong  season  of  the  year,  badly  cured 
and  worse  smoked — so  cussed  thin  no 
one  can  tell  where  the  bone  ends  or  the 
fish  begins  :  tough  as  whalebone.  Say, 
I  live  on  a  fish-flake  on  the  banks  of  the 
river,  my  old  dun-fish." 

"Really,  Mr.  Richardson,"  said  Mr. 
Layton,  rising  in  great  wrath,  "  I  " 

"Jimmy,"  said  Miss  Lucy  to  her 
little  brother,  "caU  in  the  dog.  He 
has  already  made  acquaintance  with  Mr. 
Stephen's  nose  ;  perhaps  he'll  lead  him 
up  to  bed." 

"  For  gracious  goodness'  sake,  don't 
bring  in  that  are  dog !"  he  said.  '*  If 
vou  do,  I'll  leave  my  marks  on  him,  that 
he'll  carry  to  his  dying  day.  Why,  I 
told  you,  miss,  nobody  minds  me — it's 
my  way.  I  poke  fun  at  every  body,  and 
every  body  pokes  fun  at  me ;  and  if  they 
get  the  best  of  it,  they  ar'-  welcome  to 
it;  for,  in  a  giueral  way,  what  folks  get 
from  me  they  pay  for.  Howsomever, 
my  pipe's  out.  I  know  it  ain't  manners, 
and  I  won't  interrupt  hiia  agin.  Come," 
lie  said,  turning  to  Layton,  "  come,  off 
to  Newfoundland   with    you,    my   old 


academy  boy,  and  shoot  wolves.    '  Come 
to  Frink,  now.' " 

"  I  live  on  the  banks  of  the  Kentvillo 
river,  in  Aylesford,"  continued  the  little 


man ' 

"  Well,  yon  told  us  that  afore,"  said 
Stephen.  "Why  don't  you  'come  to 
Frink  V '» 

"  On  the  farm  my  father  owned,  and 
carry  on  business  there  " 

"  And  a  pretty  mess  you  make  of 
it !"  added  Stephen. 

"  Year  before  last,  having  a  great  deal 
of  produce  in  hand,  I  chartered  a  vessel 
for  N^foundland,  and  loaded  her 
with  cheese,  apples,  butter,  han^s,  cider, 
and  other  kinds  of  produce,  and  sailed 
late  in  the  fall  for  the  town  of  St.  John, 
hoping  to  reach  there  in  time  for  the 
Christmas  market  Unfortunately,  we 
deferred  our  departure  too  long" 

"  That  was'  because  you  wouldn't 
•  'iT*^  to  Frink,'"  interrupted  Stephen. 
V-  e  encountered  dreadful  weather 
-il'  'v)  passage.  It  was,  in  fact,  one 
constant  succession  of  snow-storms  and 
violent  gales  of  wind.  The  captain  was 
frost-bitten  and  crippled,  the  men  were 
s  iA  cely  able  to  keep  the  deck,  and  the 
vussel  could  with  difficulty  be  steered  at 
all.  Indeed,  we  were  far  from  certain 
of  our  exact  position,  never  having  bad 
an  observation  since  we  left  Nova  See- 
tia  " 

"  It's  a  pity  you  hadn't  made  more 
observations  before  you  quitted  it,"  said 
Stephen ;  "  for,  if  you  had,  you  never 
would  have  left  home  at  that  season  of 
the  year.     Do  you  take  ?" 

"  And  while  we  were  discussing  the 
point,  all  doubt  was  removed  by  our 
being  wrecked,  about  ten  o'clock  at  night, 
on  a  bleak  and  desolate  part  of  the  coast. 
I  shall  never  forget  the  horrors  of  that 
night.  Every  sea  swept  the  deck.  Bul- 
warks, boats,  caboose,  and  every  thing 
was  carried  away.  The  captain  and  I 
were  the  only  persons  in  the  after-part 
of  the  vessel.  How  it  fared  with  those 
who  were  forward  I  could  not  tell,  for 
we  could  hold  no  communication  what- 
ever with  them  on  account  of  the  vio- 
I  Icnce  of  the  sea.     That  night  seemed 


,fU 


>'i 


150 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  {  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


hn 


;f; 


it*  if* 


without  end,  as  it  was  without  hope. 
At  last  day  broke,  the  storm  subsided, 
and  with  it  the  sea ;  and  I  could  distin- 
guish the  shofte,  and,  to  my  great  joy, 
a  long,  low  hovel  on  the  beach  under 
the  cliff.  I  immediately  went  below  for 
my  gun,  and  returning,  discharged  it, 
and  soon  saw  three  men,  half-dressed, 
emerge  from  the  hut,  who  waved  a  flag 
to  us  in  token  of  recognition  and  assist- 
ance. Soon  afterwards,  they  hauled  a 
boat  down  to  the  edge  of  the  water,  and 
made  preparations  for  boarding  us ;  but 
it  was  nearly  dark  before  the  sea  was 
su£Bciently  abated  to  enable  them  to 
come  off  with  safety.  The  pedl>le  for- 
ward were  all  drowned  in  the  forecastle : 
the  captain  and  myself  were  the  sole 
survivors.  At  last  they  succeeded  in 
taking  us  ashore,  with  our  guns,  ammu- 
nition, and  trunks ;  and  saved  as  much 
provisions  as  would  last  us  during  the 
winter.  In  the  morning,  the  vessel  had 
disappeared.  The  storm  had  come  on 
again  during  the  night,  and  she  had 
gone  to  pieces.  A  few  loose  articles  of 
inconsiderable  value  were  washed  ashore, 

but  the  entire  cargo  was  lost " 

_  •'  Yes,"  said  Stephen  ;  "  and  it's  my 
opinion  the  farm  sprung  a  leak  that 
night,  too.  One  or  two  more  such 
voyages  to  Newfoundland,  and  the  old 
homestead  is  a  wreck,  as  sure  as  you 
are  born." 

"  As  soon  as  the  captain  recovered, 
who  was  a  strong,  athletic  man,  of  Her- 
culean frame,  formed  by  Nature,  as  it 
were,  for  endurance  " 

"Hallo!"  said  Stephen;  "it's  a  pity 
the  schooner's  bottom  wasn't  as  hard  as 
them  words;  all  the  stones  in  New- 
foundland wouldn't  have  knocked  a 
hole  in  it." 

"  He  set  out  for  St.  John's  with  one 
of  the  inmates  of  the  hovel,  and  made 
his  way,  in  the  best  manner  he  could, 
across  the  interior.  I  was  unequal  to 
the  task,  and  remained,  during  the 
whole  of  that  tedious  and  dreary  winter, 
with  the  other  two  " 

"  If  you  had  followed  the  example  of 
Felix  Piper,"  said  Stephen,  who  always 
preferred  talking  himself  to  listening 
to  others,  "  it  would  neither  have  been 


a  long  nor  a  tedious  time.  Felix,  when 
he  was  a  youngster,  went  into  the  woods 
one  season  with  a  lumbering  party  up 
the  Kestegouch  river;  and,  not  know- 
ing what  to  do  with  himself  during  the 
long  nights,  he  got  some  birch-bark  and 
some  dead  coals,  and  stretching  himself 
out  at  full  length  (flounder-fashion)  on 
the  floor,  taught  himself,  by  the  fire- 
light to  make  letters,  and  learned  to 
write,  and  then  to  cipher  ;  set  up  in  life 
on  his  own  hook,  and  is  now  one  of  the 
richest  merchants  and  greatest  ship- 
owners in  these  colonies.  He  learned 
the  multiplication  table,  do  you  see; 
and  found  out  that  two  and  two  makes 
four,  and  twice  four  makes  eight,  and  so 
on.  Now,  with  all  your  knowledge,  you 
never  got  beyond  the  rules  of  subtrac- 
tion yet ;  and  only  know,  that  if  yon 
take  one  from  three,  two  remains.  It 
would  take  a  smart  man  to  add  up  the 
sura  of  his  property  now,  but  you  will 
soon  find  with  your  subtraction  cipher* 
ing  that  you  have  only  a  naught  left  for 
a  remainder ;  and  then,  my  old  academy 
boy,  I'll  trouble  you  to  learn  algebra, 
and  see  if  you  can  tell  how  to  subtract 
something  from  nothing.  But  come, 
Broadcloth,  on  with  your  story ;  but 
cut  it  short,  for  it  ain't  no  great  things 
the  way  you  tell  it.  '  Come  to  Friuk,' 
now." 

"  Time  hung  heavily  on  my  hands, 
you  may  well  suppose,"  continued  the 
little  man,  "  during  those  long  and  weary 
months.  0,  how  often  I  sighed,"  and 
he  looked  sentimentally  at  Miss  Luoy, 
'■  for  the  summer  sky,  the  fragrant  gales. 
and  orange  groves,  of  the  charming  Isle.H 
of  Bermuda !" 

"  There  would  have  been  much  more 
sense  in  sighing  after  the  apple-sarce 
you  forgot  to  insure,"  said  Stephen; 
"  but  never  mind, '  come  to  Frink.'  " 

*•  My  two  companions  were  Irishmen, 
who  employed  themselves  in  making 
barrels  and  boxes  for  packing  fish,  and 
in  preparing  for  killing  seals  on  the  ice 
in  the  spring.  The  hovel  they  lived  in 
was  a  long,  low  shanty,  built  close  under 
the  cliff  for  the  purpose  of  shelter.  It 
consisted  of  one  extended  room,  ono 
part  of  which  was  their  cooper's  work- 


Felix,  when 
into  the  woods 
ring  party  up 
ad,  not  know- 
slf  during  the 
birch-bark  and 
,ching  himself 
ler-fashion)  on 
:,  by  the  fire- 
nd  learned  to 
;  set  up  in  life 
ow  one  of  the 
greatest  ship- 
He  learned 
do  you  see; 
,nd  two  makes 
3  eight,  and  so 
:nowledge,  you 
63  of  subtrac- 
IF,  that  if  you 
)  remains.    It 
to  add  up  the 
',  but  you  will 
Taction  cipher- 
naught  left  for 
ly  old  academy 
learn  algebra, 
ow  to  subtract 
;.      But  come, 
ur  story ;   but 
10  great  thingi 
ome  to  Friuk,' 

on  my  hands, 

continued  the 
long  and  weary 
I  sighed,"  and 
at  Miss  Luoy, 

fragrant  gales. 

charming  Islex 

een  much  more 
the  apple-sarce 
said  Stephen; 
to  Frink.'  " 
were  Irishmen, 
ves  in  making 
icking  fish,  and 
seals  on  the  ioe 
el  they  lived  in 
uilt  close  under 
of  shelter.  It 
ded  room,  ono 
cooper's  work- 


THE  CUSHION  DANCE. 


15 


ihop,  and  the  other  tLeir  dormitory  and 
refectory  " 

"  Plague  take  your  Latin,  man !  du 
Bpeak  English  !"  said  Stephen.  "  Ever 
ginne  you  have  been  a  trustee  of  Tad- 
pole Academy  there  is  no  understand- 
ing you." 

"  The  house  was  not  constructed,  like 
our  log  huts,  of  substantial  timber  (for 
that  is  not  to  be  had  there),  but  of  poles 
interlaced  with  bark ;  and  the  roof  was 
made  of  the  same  light  materials.  It 
was  more  like  a  large  Indian  wigwam 
than  any  thing  else.  Well,  as  1  was 
saying,  we  slept  in  one  end  of  it,  which 
was  spacious  enough  for  personal  con- 
venience. The  other  part  held  staves, 
a  work-bench,  some  barrels,  and  boxes, 
and  tools.  One  morning,  just  a  little 
before  daylight,  our  house  appeared  to 
be  coming  about  our  ears.  A  portion 
of  the  roof  was  suddenly  crushed  to  the 
floor  with  a  tremendous  noise,  apparently 
by  a  part  of  the  projecting  cliff.  I  sat 
up  in  my  bed,  and  each  one  asked  simul- 
taneously the  question,  '  What  in  the 
world  is  that  V  At  that  moment  some- 
thing came  down,  through  another  part 
of  the  roof,  directly  upon  my  bed,  which 
evidently  had  life  and  motion  in  it.  It 
fell  with  considerable  force,  and  rolled 
over  upon  me  twice,  when  I  uttered  a 
loud  shout " 

"  I  don't  doubt  you  did,"  said  Ste- 
phen ;  "  there's  nothing  like  fright  to 
make  a  fellow  '  come  to  Frink.'  " 

''And  I  heard  it  jump  down  on  the 
floor.  I  immediately  got  up  and  stir- 
red the  fire,  which  had  been  carefully 
covered  witli  ashes  for  fear  of  accident, 
and  threw  on  it  a  handful  of  shavings, 
and  in  a  moment  the  cabin  was  illumi- 
nated as  bright  as  day.  Judge  of  my 
surprise,  when  the  first  objects  I  saw 
were  a  cariboo  and  a  wolf ;  the  former 
standing,  snorting  first  at  the  fire  and 
then  at  the  wolf,  and  the  latter  cower- 
ing in  the  corner  and  glaring  horribly. 
We  immediately  took  down  our  guns, 
and  stood  ready  to  give  or  receive  bat- 
tle. '  Now  Pat,'  I  said,  addressing 
myself  to  the  man  who  appeared  to  be 
the  leader  of  the  household,  '  I  will  fire 


at  the  wolf;   do 


you 
5 


and  Mike  stand 


ready,  if  I  do  not  kill  him,  to  bring 
him  down :  for,  if  he  is  only  woundeo, 
he  will  grapple  with  one  of  us  and  die 
hard.'  I  accordingly  fired,  and  he 
'Orung  up  about  three  feet,  rolled  over, 
bounded  forward,  and  fell  again  near 
the  cariboo,  who  instantly  attacked 
him  with  his  fore-feet,  and  broke  every 
bone  in  his  body.  My  first  impulse 
was  to  have  spared  the  stag,  and  secure 
him  alive,  but  he  became  so  furious  we 
were  obliged  to  despatch  him.  It  was 
a  most  exciting  scene,  and  the  more  so 
as  it  was  so  novel  and  so  wholly  unex- 
pected. It  appeared  that  the  wolf  was 
in  hot  pursuit  of  the  buck,  who,  in  his 
desperation,  leaped,  without  reference 
to  the  locality,  immediately  over  the 
cliff  on  to  our  shanty,  which,  from  being 
covered  with  snow,  no  doubt,  resembled 
a  small  iceberg,  and  was  followed  with 
equal  recklessness  by  bis  famished  pur- 
suer. I  have  preserved  the  skin  as  a 
trophy  " 

"Of  a  man,"  said  Stephen,  "who 
fired  a  gun  to  save  his  life.  It's  few 
people  have  courage  enough  to  do  that. 
But,  tell  me  novr,  didn't  that  cure  you 
of  going  a-coasting  in  the  winter? 
Ain't  you  afeerd  of  the  water  since  that 
shipwreck  ?" 

"  No,"  replied  the  little  man,  with  au 
indignant  and  injured  air — "no,  sir; 
I  despise  a  coward!" 

"Well,  well,"  said  Stephen,  with 
most  provoking  coolness,  "  we  won't  dis- 
pute about  words.  It  wouldn't  take 
much,  as  you  s^,  to  kill  or  to  save  such 
a  little  fellow  as  you  be." 

"  I  said  no  such  thing,  sir.  Don't 
put  your  insolent  words  in  my  mouth, 
if  you  please,  sir." 

"  Well,"  rejoined  the  other,  "  you 
might  have  said  it,  then,  and  not  been 
far  from  the  truth,  neither.  Now  as 
you  are  determined  to  try  your  luck 
agin  at  sea,  I'll  give  you  a  receipt  that 
will  save  your  life,  if  every  soul  on 
board  besides  perishes." 

"•I  don  t  require  your  receipt,  sir; 
when  I  want  it,  I  will  ask  you  for  it." 

"  Yes.  but  you  may  want  it  some  fine 
day,  and  it  is  no  harm  to  have  it  in 
case  of  accidents.     It  is  one  of  the  sim- 


r^ 


*•<,» 


t^   ''I       . 


152 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY 


i 


,  >*. 


•'» 


Elcst  and  wisest  rules  I  ever  heard.  I 
earned  it  from  old  Telly-I-you  at  An- 
napolis. When  I  was  a  boy,  there  was 
in  old  German  barraok-master  at  that 
place,  called  Degrebbin,  that  the  Duke 
of  Kent  placed  there.  The  cnttur  had 
served  six  months  in  the  old  American 
war,  doing  garrison  duty,  which  means, 
plastering  his  head  with  soap  and  flour, 
and  cleaning  his  breeches  with  pipeclay; 
and,  as  a  reward  for  being  a  German, 
got  the  post  of  barrack-master.  He 
viras  as  tall,  and  thin,  and  stately,  and 
solemn,  as  a  church  steeple;  walked 
like  a  pair  of  compasses;  carried, his 
arms  straight,  like  those  of  a  wooden 
doll,  kinder  stiff  at  the  shoulder  joints, 
and  wore  a  queue  long  enough  for  a 
horse's  halter.  He  had  been  so  long 
from  home  in  this  country  that  he  had 
forgot  all  his  German,  and,  having  an 
enormous  big  mouth  and  whupping 
large  tongue,  he  never  could  learn  to 
speak  English :  so  he  talked  gibberish. 
Instead  of  saying, '  I  tell  you,'  he  used 
to  say, '  Telly-I-you ;'  so  I  nicknamed 
him  *  Old  Telly-i-you.'  I  recollect  him 
as  well  as  if  it  was  yesterday,  for  I  used 
to  stalk  behind  him  in  the  streetq,  and 
throw  back  my  head,  and  cock  up  my 
ehin,  just  as  he  did,  and  make  Gar  man 
faces  at  him  to  make  the  boys  laugh, 
and  got  caught  onost  and  thrashed  for 
it  like  any  thing.  Well,  old  Telly-I- 
you  used  to  go  to  Digby  sometimes  on 
duty,  and  when  he  did,  he  used  to  take 
the  military  four-oared  barge  with  him, 
and  send  it  back  with  orders  to  come 
again  in  two  days  for  him.  When  the 
boat  would  come,  he'd  keep  it  and  the 
party  there  sometimes  for  a  whole  week 
on  a  stretch,  waiting  for  a  dead  calm  ; 
for  he  never  would  get  into  a  boat  if 
there  was  the  Icastest  morsel  of  wind  in 
the  world.  At  last  the  commandant 
hauled  him  up  for  it. 

" '  Mr.  Degrebbin,'  said  he,  *  you  keep 
my  men  too  long  from  their  duty.  I 
request  you  will  always  return  immedi- 
ately, sir,  when  the  boat  goes  for  you.' 

"  '  My  fery  goot,  high-priced,  toodear 
friend,'  said  Degrebbin, '  telly  I  you  it 
to  pass  how  came  to  happen  dat  I  keep 
de  boat ' 


"  And  he  explained  that  he  was  once 
the  sole  survivor  of  a  boating  party, 
consisting  of  thirteen  men,  which  cir- 
cumstance had  made  him  kind  of  ner 
vous  and  timid  on  the  water  ever 
since. 

" '  Dear  me,'  said  the  commandant, 
who  was  a  kind-hearted  man,  though 
strict  on  duty  matters — '  dear  me,  how 
did  that  happen,  and  how  did  you 
escape  V 

"  ♦  Telly  I  you,'  said  Degrebbin, '  that 
to  pass  how  came  to  happen.' 

"And  he  paused,  and  looked  wise, 
that  the  other  might  admire  his  gump- 
tion.    At  last,  he  said — 

" '  Dis  was  de  vay.  I  refused  to  go, 
so  I  was  de  only  one  saved  out  of  dir- 
teen  souls  and  bodies  I' 

"  Now,  take  my  advice.  Broadcloth, 
and  follow  old  Telly-I-you's  receipt 
'  You'll  never  be  drowned  if  you  stay  to 
home  on  dry  land.'  It  tante  every  fool 
knows  that  trick,  I  can  tell  you." 

«*Come  to  Frink,  Mr.  Stephen,' 
said  the  commissary.  "  Here  they  are! 
I  hear  the  bells.  Make  room  for  the 
young  ladies  I  Now  for  a  dance  1"  And 
he  played  a  short  flourish  on  his  violin, 
and  said — "  Here,  Mr.  Stephen,  hold  a 
oandle  while  I  help  the  young  ladies 
out.  Talk  of  ghosts  and  hobgoblins  t 
these  are  the  witches  for  me  I  0,  Miss 
Luoyl"  and  he  put  his  arm  gallantly 
round  her  waist,  and,  leading  her  to  the 
door,  whispered  something  in  an  under- 
tone, for  which  (though  she  appeared 
nothing  loath  to  hear  it)  he  got  a  good- 
humored  box  on  the  ear,  and  was  told 
he  was  a  saucy,  forward,  good-for-noth- 
ing, impudent  man. 

When  we  went  to  the  door  to  receive 
our  guests  and  assist  them  to  alight,  we 
found  two  sleds  (not  sleighs,  but  vehi- 
cles on  runners,  without  seats,  having 
nothing  but  the  floor,  covered  with  buf- 
falo robes,  to  sit  upon).  One  was  driven 
by  young  Mr.  Neal,  and  conveyed  the 
two  Misses  Glee ;  and  the  other  by 
Master  Linn,  and  carried  his  two  sis- 
ters. A  moonlight  drive  on  the  snow, 
and  the  prospect  of  a  dance,  always  ex- 
hilarates the  spirits,  and  the  young 
ladies  were  in  great  force.     They  wen 


1      5^' 


THE  CUSHION  DANCE. 


ms 


,  he  was  once 

tating  party, 

n,  which  cir- 

kind  of  ner 

water    ever 

commandant, 
man,  though 
dear  mo,  how 
low  did    you 

grebbin, '  that 

?n.' 

looked  wise, 

lire  his  gump- 

refused  to  go, 
ed  out  of  dir- 

3,  Broadcloth, 
you's    receipt 
I  if  you  stay  to 
ante  every  fool 
bU  you." 
Mr.   Stephen,' 
Here  they  are! 
)  room  for  the 
t  dance  1"  And 
1  on  his  violin, 
tephen,  hold  a 
:  young  ladies 
id  hobgoblins! 

me !     0,  Miss 

arm  gallantly 
ding  her  to  the 
ig  in  an  under- 
.  she  appeared 

he  got  a  good- 
r,  and  was  told 

,  good-for-noth- 

door  to  receive 
jm  to  alight,  we 
eighs,  but  vehi- 
,t  seats,  having 
»vered  with  buf- 
One  was  driven 
i  conveyed  the 
I  the  other  by 
ied  his  two  sis- 
re  on  the  snow, 
ance,  always  ex- 
md  the  young 
rce.    They  were 


overjoyed  to  soe  their  friends,  th«  Misses 
Neal  They  remarked  that  it  was  an 
age  since  they  had  met ;  and  they  ap- 
peared to  have  so  much  to  say  to  each 
other,  that  there  was  no  time  given  for 
introductions.  When  tliey  saw  several 
strangers,  howeve.',  in  the  room,  they 
were  quite  shocked — so  shocked,  indeed, 
that  tney  all  talked  at  once,  and  all 
apologized  together.  They  didn't  ex- 
pect to  see  company,  they  said ;  they 
oame  for  a  sociable  evening — they  were 
quite  ashamed — they  were  not  dressed 
—they  were  sure  they  looked  like 
frights  ;  they  couldn't  think  of  dancing 
—they  hadn't  come  prepared.  They 
liad  nothing  but  walking  shoes  on,  for 
the  snow  was  so  deep  they  were  afraid 
of  taking  cold.  But  they  would  try ; 
they  dared  to  say  the  gentlemen  would 
be  kind  enough  to  excuse  them. 

Miss  Lucinda  Linn  was  what  Mr. 
Stephen  called  -a  "  screamer  " — that  is, 
a  girl  in  full  health  and  spirits ;  tall, 
well-formed,  and  exceedingly  handsome; 
of  an  easy  carriage,  8olf  possessed,  and, 
as  he  graphically  described  her,  "  as 
supple  as  an  eel,  and  as  full  of  fun  as  a 
kitten."  Her  sister  was  shorter,  slen- 
der, delicate,  and  really  graceful ;  but 
I  more  shy,  and  less  confident. 

Miss  Glee  had  one  df  the  most  beau- 
I  tiful  complexions  I  ever  beheld,  and  a 
head  of  hair  Venus  herself  might  have 
envied.      She   had  not  to  learn   that 
night  for  the  first  time  that  she  was 
pretty :  her  beau  and  her  glass  had  in- 
formed her  of  that  fact  long  ago.     Her 
Louth  was  exquisite,  and  you  could  not 
withdraw  your  eyes  from  it,  for  her  ut- 
Iterance  was  so  rapid  tiiat  it  was  neces- 
hary  to  watch  its  motions  to  understand 
Iher.     There  was  something  inexpress- 
libly  droll  in  the  manner  in  which  her 
[words  were  blended,  or  rather  fused  to- 
Igether.     Miss  Lucy  told  me  she  was  a 
I  little  affected,  but  she   was  evidently 
I  mistaken,  for  her  conversation  came  so 
Inaturally  from  her  lips,  nobody  could 
jBuppose  for  a  minute  Art  had  any  thing 
jto  do  with  it ;    and,   besides,  her  hair 
Iwas  dressed  with  an  easy  negligence  of 
lappearance  that   showed    she   did   not 
Itbink  she  required  any  adventitious  aid 


to  set  off  her  appearance  to  advantage. 
On  one  cheek  and  shoulder  long  ring- 
lets fell  in  rich  profusion,  on  the  other 
the  hair  was  dressed  plain ;  a  graceful 
festoon  covered  the  upper  part  of  the 
cheek,  and  the  returned  end  was  simply 
fastened  with  a  comb. 

Her  sister  Jane  was  as  light  as  a 
fairy,  and  as  easy  in  all  her  motions. 
She  was  a  dark  beauty — a  deep  bru- 
nette. She  wore  a  most  provokingly 
short  frock  and  .  -^tt*  -indeed  she 
could  not  help  i<  <)  suo  "as  so  deep 
— but  it  displayed  the  Sweetest  little 
foot  and  Z.-.V.C  in  the  world.  She  was 
very  un"  ffected,  and  prided  herself  on 
her  candor.  She  said  what  she  thought, 
and  sometimes  gave  people  what  she 
called  a  piece  of  her  mind.  There  was 
nothing  remarkable  in  the  dress  of  these 
young  ladies,  unless  in  its  similiarity  ; 
each  having  broad  black-riband  sandala 
to  their  shoes  ;  a  little  gauze  half-hand- 
kerchief pinned  on  the  shoulders,  and 
falling  gracefully  back  from  the  front ; 
skirts  that  hung  wonderfully  close  to 
the  figure — so  much  so,  indeed,  as  to 
create  great  admiration  in  Mr.  Stephen, 
who  vowed  they  were  as  straight  as  bul- 
rushes ;  and  black  mitts  on  their  hands, 
embroidered  on  the  back  in  gaudy 
colors. 

Miss  Lucy's  sisters  having  joined  the 

f»arty,  the  commissary  resumed  his  yio- 
in  and  put  us  all  in  motion,  and  we 
were  soon  in  the  mazes  of  a  country- 
dance,  our  fair  hostess  and  myself  lead- 
ing off,  and  Mr.  Stephen  keeping  time 
to  the  music  with  his  foot,  and  occa- 
sionally making  us  all  laugh  with  his 
original  and  eccentric  remarks.  The 
ice  was  now  broken,  and  we  all  became 
as  well  acquainted  as  if  we  had  known 
each  other  for  years.  Tea  and  coffee 
were  introduced  and  the  dancing  re- 
newed ;  after  which  we  had  a  supper, 
and  a  most  substantial  one  it  was.  In 
addition  to  a  turkey,  du?ks,  chickens, 
and  tongues,  was  a  large  ham,  the  up- 
per surface  of  which  was  garnished  with 
cloves  of  different  sizes  inserted  perpen 
dicularly,  and  presenting  a  striking  re 
semblance  to  a  newly  cleared  field  dot 
ted  with  its  black  charred  stumps  of 


li!) 


>K 


•♦' 


.P 


.i 


154 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIPB  IN  A  COLONY. 


trees  Large  tarts  (or  piea,  as  they 
are  universally  called  ia  this  couu- 
try)  baked  in  plates,  and  composed  of 
apples,  cranberries,  pumpkins,  and  wild 
gooseberries,  were  distributed  with  a 
view  rather  to  abundance  than  order ; 
and  reflected  great  credit  on  the  skill 
of  Miss  Lucy,  for  their  flavor  and  qual- 
ity were  really  excellent.  Home-made 
preserves,  consisting  of  the  ordinary 
fruits  and  berries  of  the  country,  occu- 
pied and  ornamented  the  centre  of  the 
table ;  and  cakes  of  every  variety  and 
form,  among  which  the  favorite  and 
yery  palatable  doughnut  was  most  eon- 
gpicnous,  and  distributed  wherever  suf- 
ficient space  could  be  found  for  them. 
Cider,  ginger-beer,  and  wine,  with  some- 
thing more  potent  for  strong  heads  like 
Mr.  Stephen's,  though  not  so  freely 
tuwd,  were  as  liberally  provided.  It 
was  the  first  rural  entertainment  I  had 
witnessed ;  and  I  understand  that, 
though  a  similar  one  cannot,  of  course, 
be  BO  suddenly  produced  elsewhere  as 
at  an  inn,  they  are  equally  abundant 
and  good  in  every  substantial  farmer's 
house  in  the  province.  Then  came  the 
best  and  the  merriest  dance  of  all,  that 
which  leaves  the  most  agreeable  and 
enduring  impression — the  last.  It  was 
the  cushion  dance.  We  all  formed  a 
ring,  in  the  centre  of  which  was  placed 
a  gentleman  with  a  bell  in  his  hand ; 
the  company  then  danced  round  him 
several  times.  When  he  rang  the  bell 
the  dancing  ceased,  and  he  selected  any 
lady  he  pleased  and  kissed  her ;  then 
she  took  his  place  and  the  same  cere- 
mony was  repeated,  the  choice  devolv- 
ing upon  her  as  a  matter  of  course.  To 
E've  the  ladies  their  due,  they  protested 
adly  against  this  amusement,  and  it 
was  with  some  reluctance  they  consent- 
ed to  join  in  it  at  all.  Their  choice 
(much  to  the  chagrin  of  the  gentlemen, 
who  pronounced  the  selection  unfair) 
always  fell  on  young  Master  Linn,  a  lad 
of  fourteen  years  of  age,  who  was  the 
recipient  of  all  their  favors  ;  but  they 
could  not,  be  prevailed  upon  to  alter  the 
arrangement.  While,  on  the  other 
hand,  they  invariably  fled  before  they 
would  submit  to  the  forfeit  themselves ; 


and  frequontly  It  was  not  until  they  had 
reached  the  next  room  that  they  were 
overtaken  and  eompoUod  to  pay  toll 
and  not  then  without  a  oonsiderable 
struggle,  However,  notwithstanding 
the  reluctance  innnifestcd  by  them  at 
first  to  take  a  part  in  the  cushion  dance 
it  bad  the  otrccl  of  exhilarating  the  ppir' 
its  of  every  one  mo  much,  that  they  ver; 
civilly  oonsctttcd  to  its  repetition,  and 
it  was  imuioditttely  renewed  with  in* 
creased  aniinatioti.  Mr.  Stephen  wag 
so  delighted  with  it,  nevef  having  seen 
it  before,  that  he  lamented  most  pathe- 
tically he  waM  too  old  to  participate  in 
it ;  and  vowed,  with  many  extraordina- 
ry protCHttttioiiM,  expressed  in  still  more 
extraordinary  lati^uge,  that  he  thought 
the  union  or  kissing  and  dancing  the 
greatest  invention  of  modern  times. 

"  In  H»y  day  it  was  plaguy  formal," 
he  said ;  ^'  it  was  merely  join  hands,  go 
two  or  thr<)c  times  round,  cross  over, 
and  then  obciitanoe.  O,  catch  a  chap 
waltiini;,  or  wltatever  you  call  it,  then 
with  hiH  arniM  round  a  gall's  waist! 
why  it  would  make  old  mothers  and 
maiden  aunties  fuirly  faint  I  Indeed 
I  ain't  just  sure  it  wouldn't  kill  them 
on  the  spot  I  What  a  dance  this  cush- 
ion dance  would  bo  for  a  man  like 
me— wouldn't  it  ?— that  has  a  pair  of 
arms  long  enough  to  take  two  forfeits 
ftU  at  onoot  ?  Ah,  Droadcloth  !"  pat- 
ting Layton  on  the  shoulder  so  earnest- 
ly as  nearly  to  dislocate  it,  "you  and 
Miss  Lucy  nitty  tulk  of  ghosts  till  you 
are  tired,  man,  give  mo  the  rael" 

"  Here  it  is,"  «uid  Miss  Lucy,  hand- 
ing bim  a  tuniblor  of  what  she  called 
maboganv,  but  which  looked  uncom- 
monly like  brandy  and  water — "here 
it  is  I  but  (and  »hc  lowered  her  voice) 
don't  talk  notiHenso  afore  the  strangers, 
or  p'rhaps  they  will  think  they  cau  do 
so  too,  and  tliitt  1  won't  stand." 

''  Eight,"  said  Htephen  ;  "I  see  it  all 
with  half  an  eye,     I  take,  for-a  nod  is 


as  good  as  a  wink  to  a  blind  horse. 
Your  bcalth,  my  beautiful  young  rose 
bud  I" 

I  bavo  before  explained  that  a  door 
opened  into  the  keeping-room,  whicli 
concealed    tlio    (almost    perpendicular 


THE  CUSHION  DANCE. 


155 


until  they  had 
hat  thoy  were 
1  to  pay  toll, 
i  considerable 
DtwitbitandiDg 
]d  b;|r  them  at 
cushion  dance, 
^rating  the  ppir- 
I  that  they  very 
repetition,  and 
lewed  with  in* 
.  Stephen  was 
ex  having  seen 
ed  most  pathe- 
I  participate  in 
ny  extraordina- 
led  in  still  more 
ihat  he  thought 
id  dancing  the 
odern  times, 
plaguy  formal," 
f  join  hands,  go 
und,  cross  over, 
0,  catch  a  chap 
ott  call  it,  then 
a  gall's  waist! 
Id  mothers  and 
faint  I  Indeed 
uldn't  kill  them 
dance  this  cush- 
for  a  man  like 

has  a  pair  of 
ake  two  forfeits 
•oadcloth  !"  pat- 
)ulder  80  earnest- 
late  it,  "  you  and 
'  ghosts  till  you 

)  the  rael" 

iss  Lucy,  hand- 
what  she  called 

looked  uncom- 
,d  woter— "here 
vered  her  voice) 
ro  the  strangers, 
ink  they  can  do 
t  stand." 
on  ;  "  I  see  it  all 
take,  for- a  nod  is 
a  blind  horse, 
tiful  young  rose 

lined  that  a  door 


)ingroom, 


which 


itaircasH  leading  to  the  bedrooms  occu- 
pied by  the  family.     Several  times  dur- 
uig  the  evening  I  had  heard  a  whisper- 
ing and   laughing   behind   this   door ; 
but  while  wo  were  occupied  in  the  last 
dance  it  suddenly  flew  open  with  great 
violence,  and  gave  admittance  to  a  very 
unexpected     addition     to    our    party. 
Three  little  boys,  brothers  of  Miss  Lucy 
(who  had  been  sent  early  to  bed  that 
they  might  be  out  of  the  way,  but  who 
had  been  attracted  by  the  music,  and 
taken  post  there   for  the  purpose  of 
peeping  through  the  crevices  and  key- 
hole), in  their   eagerness   to  obtain   a 
good  view,  had  forced  the  latch,  and 
were  precipitated  into  the  centre  of  the 
room  ajiiong  the  company,  with  no  other 
covering  on  than  their  shirts,  and  exhi- 
bited a  confused  heap  of  bare  heads, 
legs,  and  arms.     As  a  matter  of  course, 
the  young  ladies  were  dreadfully  shock- 
ed and  alarmed,  and  screamed  violently ; 
but  the  uproarious    shouts  of  delight 
with  which  the  unwitting  intruders  were 
received  by  the  rest  of  the  company 
were  so  irrciistiblo,  that  the  contagion 
of  the  merriment  overcame  their  nerv- 
oosness,  and  at  last  they  joined  heartily 
in  thegeneral  laughter.     The  two  eld- 
est boys,  as  soon  as  they  recovered  from 
the  shock  of  their   fall  and  surprise, 
made  good  their  retreat ;  but  the  young- 
est, running  behind  Miss  Lucy,  endeav- 
ored to  envelope  hin^self  in  the  folds  of 
her  clothes,  and  thereby   conceal  the 
want  of  his  own;    and,  in   so  doing, 
threatened  to  reduce  her  to  'the  same 
state  of  destitution  as  himself.     After 
tn  ineffectual  struggle  on  her  part  to 
extricate  herself  from  his  embarrassing 
embraces,  she  retreated  backwards   to 
the  staircase,  and  then  turning  round, 
pushed  the  little  offender  in,  and  shut 
the  door  upon  him,  with  no  very  gentle 
I  admonition  to  go  to  bed,  and  a  smack 
that  sounded  somewhat  louder  than  a 
kiss,  which  was  followed  by  an  exclama- 
tion very  unlike  laughter. 

"  Well  I  never,  in  all  my  born  days  1" 
laid  Miss  Lucy. 

"Nor    I    either,"    said    Miss  Glee. 
"Did  you  ever?" 


"  Well,  I  want  to  know,"  said  Miu 
Linn. 

"  Say  no  more  about  it,  ladies,"  add- 
ed the  commissary,  resuming  his  violin. 
'■  It's  your  turn  witii  the  bell,  Miss  Lu- 
cinda.     Come,  begin  !" 

"  Ay,  *  come  to  Frink !"  said  Stephen, 
and  the  order  of  the  evening  was  agair 
restored. 

As  soon  as  the  dance  was  concluded, 
Mr.  Stephen,  who  had  been  extremely 
excited  by  the  sight  and  sound  of  the 
forfeits,  and  the  '^dldtre.ss"  under  which 
they  were  "  levied,"  sprung  forward 
from  his  seat  with  great  animation,  and, 
taking  up  the  tongs  and  shovel,  placed 
them  transversely  on  the  floor. 

"  I  will  show  you  now,  my  beauties," 
he  said,  ''  the  prettiest,  and  spryest,  and 
difficultest  dance  you  ever  see — <  the 
kitchen  dance  I*  Few  men  can  go 
through  that  with  the  cross-hop  and 
double  back  shuffle,  quick  as  wink,  with- 
out  as  much  as  touching  or  brushing 
with  heel  or  toe  ;  and  women  can't  do 
it — nohow  they  can't  work  it,  on  ac- 
count of  their  frock-tails.  It  requires 
a  quick  eye,  a  clear  head,  and  an  active 
foot,  I  can  tell  you ;  and  mth  boots  like 
mine,  I  defy  any  one  here  or  elsewhere 
to  do  it  as  supple  as  I  can.  General," 
he  said,  addressing  himself  to  the  young 
commissary,  to  the  infinite  amusement 
of  every  body  present,  can  you  play 
'  Zacky  in  the  meal-tub  V  " 

"  '  Zacky  in  the  meal-tub !' "  replied 
the  other,  repeating  his  words  in  un- 
feigned astonishment ;  "  no :  I  never 
heard  of  it  before !" 

"  Well,  '  Jinny  Kitoory  V  " 

"  No,  my  good  fellow,"  he  said,  laugh* 
ing  ;  "  nor  '  Jenny  Kitoory,'  neither." 

"Well,  'High  Betty  Martin,'  that 
will  do.  Can  you  play  that,  my  young 
coals-and-candles  ?" 

"  No." 

"  No  ?  Why,  what  the  plague  can 
you  play,  then  ?  Give  us  '  Possum  up 
a  gum-tree,'  or  '  0  my  kitten,  my  kit- 
ten !' " 

"  How  does  the  latter  go  V  said  the 
good-natured  violinist.  "  Perhaps  I  may 
know  it  under  another  name." 


V^' 


^d 


.*'■' 


.^ 


■'•n.. 


t    perpendicular 


n-« 


tse 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


:  t.K 


It  A 


^    * 


'♦Why,  tliii  way,  my  sealed-tender 
man,"  replied  Stepliev  huuiiuing  the 
iir  for  liltn  •'  Ah,  tL-t's  it !"  he  con- 
tioued,  oxultingly,  m  the  muRicinn  re- 
iSOgniieod  tho  tunc  ;  ''  that's  it,  General 
Ratloniil  Now,  Miss  Lucy,  see,  this  is 
tbfl  wsyl"  knd  he  exhibited  feats  of 
•gility  thitt,  for  a  man  of  his  age,  were 
truly  iivpriMing.  But  the  young  ladies 
were  ihockcd.  They  said  the  dance 
WM  low,  noisy,  and  vulgar ;  protested 
that  they  had  never  seen  or  heard  it 
before,  tnd  never  desired  to  see  it  again  ; 
ted,  moreover,  wondered  what  sort  of 
•oeisty  Mr,  Stephen  must  have  kept  to 
bft¥0  acquired  sunh  coarse  manners  and 
•atage  habits  It  might  do  for  negroes, 
thev  laid,  but  it  certainly  was  not  fit 
•DO  never  wa^  intended,  to  be  exhibit- 
ed before  company.  If  it  failed,  how- 
vreff  to  itjoure  the  approbation  of  the 
ladiet,  it  was  duly  apprcuiated  by  the 

Jroung  men,  who  were  uncommonly  de- 
ighted  with  it,  and  testified  their  grati- 
fleation  00  loudly  and  so  warmly  that 
Stephen  exclaimed,  with  evident  pride^ 

"That's  nothing,  my  hearties,  to 
what  I  oneet  could  do,  and  guess  I  can 
f  till  do ;  but  these  confounded  boots  are 
ai  thiek  and  as  hard  in  the  sole  as  a 
plotighfharo.  Who  can  do  this'/"  and, 
taking  up  a  tumbler  filled  with  water, 
be  held  his  head  erect,  and,  placing  the 
glasi  on  his  crown,  he  put  his  arms 
a-kimbo,  and  commenced  anew  the  diffi- 
cult evolutions  of  the  "  Tongs  and 
Shovel,"  or  "Kitchen-dance."  The 
uneeasing  clatter  of  his  boots,  the  ab- 
iurd  and  comical  expression  of  his  face, 
and  the  singularly  grotesque  contortions 
of  hift  body,  convulsed  the  commissary 
with  laughter,  who,  playing  irregularly 
and  without  regard  either  to  time  or 
tune,  HO  disturbed  and  enraged  poor 
Stephen,  that  he  lost  his  balance,  and, 
entangling  his  feet  between  the  legs  of 
the  tongs,  he  was  precipitated  with  his 
tumbler  and  its  contents  upon  the  floor 
with  a  crash  that  seemed  to  threaten  a 
descent  into  the  cellar. 

"  Who  is  that  dreadful  man  ?"  said 
Miii  Olee. 

"  I  am  sure  I  don't  know,"  said  Miss 
Lias,  with  a  disdainful  toss  of   her 


pretty  chin.  "  He  is  no  acquaintance 
of  mine,  I  assure  you  ;  but  whoever  he 
is,  he  is  quite  tipsy,  I  am  euro.  Come 
kt'i  be  moving  now,  for  it's  getting 
We'll  ur>  to  morning,  and  I  am  dread- 
fully frightened." 

"  Lucy,  dear,"  said  Miss  Lucinda,in 
a  patronizing  and  ezpostulatory  tone, 
"  why  do  you  admit  such  creatures  u 
that  fellow  into  the  keeping-room  7  he 
is  only  fit  to  herd  with  tlie  corns  in  the 
bar.  Who  is  the  horrid  animal,  and 
wiiere  in  the  world  does  he  come  from  ?" 

**  0,  it's  only  his  way,  dear,"  said 
Lucy.  "  Ho  is  a  sort  of  oddity — a  kind 
of  privileged  person.  Nobody  mindi 
him.  He  is  Mr.  Stephen  IlichardsoD, 
of  Bear  River  in  Clements." 

"  O,  so  I  should  think  !"  replied  tbe 
other;  "but  bears  are  dangerous,  and 
ought  not  to  be  sufiered  to  go  at  large"— 

"  Lest  they  should  hug !"  saia  Mr, 
Stephen,  who,  hearing  these  flattering 
remarks,  came  softly  up  behind  his  fair 
defamer,  and,  seizing  her  round  tbe 
waist,  lifted  her  up  and  punished  the 
sweet,  pert  little  darling,  as  he  called 
her,  by  passing  his  rough  beurd  first 
over  one  of  her  cheeks,  and  then  over 
the  other,  and  greatly  increasing  their 
color  at  the  risk  of  drawing  the  blood, 
and  then  kissing  her,  to  her  inexpresai* 
ble  mortification. 

The  sleds  were  now  at  the  door,  and 
the  young  ladies  took  a  most  afiectionate 
leave  of  their  guests,  who,  on  their  part, 
hoped  the  Misses  Neal  would  soon  come 
and  see  them  sociably,  for  it  was  really 
an  age  since  they  had  met ;  and  besides, 
they  were  very  lonely  in  winter,  being 
moped  to  death  in  the  house,  unable  to 
get  out  for  the  depth  of  the  snow  and 
tbe  unbroken  state  of  the  roads.  I  ac- 
companied the  Misses  Linn  home,  so  ae 
to  see  them  safely  over  the  drifts ;  and 
the  commissary  convoyed  (as  Stephen 
called  it)  the  two  Misses  Glee. 

We  had  scarcely  proceeded  a  hundred 
yards,  when  we  were  all  precipitated 
into  a  snow-bank,  which  was  the  cause 
of  much  merriment,  as  no  injury  ever 
arises  from  a  fall  upon  the  uutroddeo 
and  newly-fallen  snow.  It  showed,  how- 
ever, the   necessity   of  precaution.    1 


THE  CUSHION  DANCE. 


19 


acquaintance 

ut  whoever  he 

sure.     Come, 

)r  it's  gcttinu 

I  am  dread- 

iss  Lucinda,  in 
itulatory  tone, 
h  creatures  u 
ping-room?  he 
16  coma  in  the 
id  animal,  and 
e  come  from  ?" 
dear,"  said 
nddity — a  kind 
Nobody  minds 
in  RichardsoD, 
its." 

!"  replied  tbe 
langerous,  and 
9  go  at  large"— 
ug !"  said  Mr. 
these  flattering 
behind  his  fair 
icr  round  the 
i  punished  the 
g,  as  he  called 
igh  beard  first 
,  and  then  over 
increasing  their 
ring  the  blood, 

her  inezpresM- 

it  the  door,  and 
nost  affectionate 
lo,  on  their  part, 
vould  soon  come 
for  it  was  really 
et;  and  besides, 
in  winter,  being 
house,  unable  to 
if  the  snow  and 
he  roads.  I  ac- 
jinn  home,  so  ae 

the  drifts ;  and 
,-ed  (as  Stephen 
!8  frlee. 

leeded  a  hundred 
all  precipitated 
1  was  the  cause 

no  injury  ever 
I  the  untrodden 

It  showed,  how- 
'  precaution.    1 


therefore  took  my  seat  in  the  centre, 
tnd,  extending  out  both  my  arms,  one 
lady  took  my  right  hand  in  her  left,  and 
the  other  my  left  in  her  right,  which 
had  the  effect  of  making,  a  secure,  so 
oiftble,  and  agreeable  support ;  though, 
as  Miss  Lucinda  said,  one  that  nothing 
bat  the  danger  of  upsetting  could  jus- 
tify. When  we  returned,  we  sat  by  the 
fire  after  the  family  had  retired  for  the 
night,  smoked  our  segars,  and  chatted 
over  the  events  of  the  evening.  I  was 
'expressing  my  gratification  to  Barclay 
at  having  had  such  a  favorable  opportu- 
nity of  seeing  the  mode  in  which  people 
in  the  settlements  in  this  oountry  live ; 
when  he  said — 

"  As  a  stranger,  you  would  be  apt  to 
be  misled  by  what  you  have  seen  this 
night  Don't  undervalue  these  girls 
from  their  freedom  of  manner.  That 
freedom  arises  from  the  perfect  security 
engendered  by  their  situation.  Many 
of  them  are  connected,  and  all  of  them 
are  neighbors  and  friends.  They  meet 
like  one  family,  and  live  with  and  to- 
wards each  other  as  suoh.  Each  indi- 
vidaal  is  dependent  on  the  rest  for 
matnal  assisthiice  and  good  offices,  and 
th^  ooniititut«  themselves  all  the  socie- 


ty  they  have.  The  protection  that 
forms  and  ceremonies  throw  round  the 
members  of  laree  communities  is  not 
here  needed.  Where  thcro  is  no  ag- 
gression to  be  dreaded,  defences  are  not 
required.  They  arc  simple-minded, 
warm-hearted,  hospitable,  and  virtuous 
people.  The  levity  you  see  is  the  lev- 
ity of  good  spirits  and  conscious  safety. 
The  frank  and  easy  demeanor  (yoa 
would  call  it  boldnc»N  elsewhere)  is 
the  manner  of  childhood,  that  has 
grown  in  both  sexes  into  the  conduct 
of  maturity.  So  far  as  my  experience 
goes,  I  see  no  danger  in  it." 

Here  Mr.  Stephen  gave  a  low,  pro- 
longed whistle.  Whether  it  was  de- 
signed tc  ascertain  if  his  old  enemy  the 
dog  was  in  the  room,  or  to  denote  that 
his  means  of  information  were  greater 
than  Barclay's,  and  led  to  a  different 
conclusion,  I  do  not  know.  He  took 
up  his  candle,  however,  and  bade  ju 
good  night;  and  when  he  got  near  the 
door  where  the  commissary  sat,  said— 

"  Friend  Barclay,  there  is  no  danffer 
to  the  sheep,  do  you  mind,  ^rhen  tney 
play  in  the  pasture  by  themselves ;  bat 
when  the  wolf  pays  them  a  visit,  the 
closer  they  keep  to  home  the  better." 


\  "f^ 


5 


THE  KEEPING-ROOM  OF  AN  INN. 

No.  v.— A  CHASE  FOR  A  WIFE 


s 


On  the  following  morning  all  the 
guests  assisted  Mr.  Neal  ana  his  men 
in  endeavoring  to  cut  a  passage  through 
the  enormous  drift  that  had  obstructed 
our  progress  on  the  night  of  our  arrival. 
The  route  we  had  taken  the  preceding 
evening,  when  escorting  the  young  la- 
dies to  their  homes,  was  too  cirouitous, 
and  too  inconvenient,  to  be  used  even 
temporarily  by  travellers,  and  nothing 
remained  for  us  but  to  open  the  main 
road,  which  was  covered  to  the  tops  of 
the  fences  for  the  space  of  a  mile,  or  as 
far  as  the  cleared  land  extended.  As 
soon  as  we  had  reduced  this  snow-bank 
sufficiently  to  render  it  praotioable,  the 
cattle  from  the  farm-yard  were  driven 
through  it,  and  then  several  yoke  of 
oxen  were  attached  to  a  heavy  wood- 
ded.  and  a  track  made  for  the  guidance 
of  strangers.  Although  apparently  a 
work  of  vast  labor,  the  opening  was,  in 
fact,  effected  with  great  ease,  and  in  an 
incredibly  short  space  of  time.  The 
drift-shovel  is  made  of  dry  wood,  weighs 
very  little,  and  lifts  a  large  quantity  of 
snow  at  once. 

Road-breaking,  as  this  operation  is 
universally  called  here,  is  considered  by 
the  young  men  of  the  country  as  a  pas- 
time, as  it  necessarily  occasions  an  as- 
semblage of  the  whole  neighborhood, 
and  affords  ample  opportunities  for  feats 
of  agility  and  practical  jokes,  in  which 
the  population  of  rural  districts  so 
much  delight.  There  were,  however,  no 
arrivals  during  the  day,  nor  did  any  of 
the  party  at  Mount  Hope  venture  to 
leave  it  and  become  pioneers.  In  the 
afternoon  we  adjourned  again  for  the 
last  time,  to   the   Kceping-Room,  for 


Barclay  expressed  his  determination  t« 
force  his  way  to  Illenoo  on  the  foUowini 
day ;  and  Mr.  Stephen  Richardson  uii. 
as  the  road  to  Halifax  would,  from  itg 
position,  hm  so  much  more  obstructed 
than  that  which  lay  through  the  woods, 
he  had  resolved  to  leave  bis  horse,  and 
perform  the  remaining  part  of  the  jonr 
ney  on  snow-shoes. 

"  I  can't  say  my  business  is  so  very 
urgent,  neither,"  he  observed ;  "  but  I 
can't  be«r  to  be  idle  ;  and  when  a  man's 
away  from  home  things  don't,  in  a  gen- 
eral way,  go  ahead  so  fast,  or  get  so  well 
done,  as  when  he  is  to  the  fore.  Them 
that  work  never  think;  and  if  th« 
thinking  man  is  away,  the  laboring  men 
may  as  well  be  away  also,  for  the  chan* 
oes  are,  they  will  work  wrong,  and,  at 
any  rate,  they  are  sure  to  work  badly. 
That's  my  idea,  at  any  rate.  But  there 
is  one  comfort,  anyhow ;  there  is  no 
fishery  law  where  I  live :  and,  if  there 
was,  I  don't  think  Mrs.  Richardson,  my 
wife,  would  be  altogether  just  so  sharp 
upon  me  as  Luke  Loon  was.  I  mnst 
tell  you  that  story,  Miss  Lucy.  For 
instance,  folks  like  you  have  no  idea  of 
what  is  going  on  sometimes  sea-board 
ways.  Ploughing  the  land,  and  plougii- 
ing  the  sea  is  about  as  different  things 
as  may  be,  and  yet  they  ain't  more  differ- 
ent than  them  who  turn  the  furrows  or 
hold  the  tiller.  It  tante  no  easy  mat- 
ter to  give  you  an  idea  of  a  fishing-sta* 
tion  ;  but  I'll  try,  miss. 

"  We  have  two  sorts  of  emigrants  to 
this  province,  do  you  observe ;  droves 
of  paupers  from  Europe,  and  shoals  of 
fish  from  the  sea  ;  old  Nick  sends  one, 
and  the  Lord  sends  the  other :  oue  we 


«Tniination  to 
the  foUowini 
Dbardaon  sud, 
)uld,  from  iti 
re  obstructed 
gh  the  woods, 
bis  horse,  ana 
rt  of  the  jour- 

ess  is  so  very 
rved  ;  "  but  I 
I  when  a  man's 
on't,  in  a  gen- 
or  get  so  well 
)  fore.     Them 

and  if  the 
)  laboring  men 
I,  for  the  chan« 
wrong,  and,  at 
3  work  badly, 
te.     But  there 

there   is  no 

and,  if  there 

lichardson,  my 

:  just  so  sharp 

was.     I  must 

js  Lucy.     For 

ave  no  idea  of 

mes  seaboard 

id,  and  plough- 

iliferetit  things 

in't  more  differ- 

the  furrows  or 

no  easy  mat- 
)f  a  fishing-sta- 

if  emigrants  to 
jserve ;  droves 

and  shoals  of 
fick  sends  one, 

other :  one  we 


A  CHASE  FOR  A  WIFE. 


169 


bare  to  feed,  and  the  other  feeds  us ; 
one  brings  destitution,  distress,  and 
disease,  and  the  other  health,  wealth, 
and  happiness.  Well,  when  our  friends 
the  mackerel  strike  in  towards  the  shore, 
%nd  travel  round  the  province  to  the 
Borthward,  the  whole  coasting  popula- 
tion is  on  the  stir,  too.  Perhaps  there 
aever  was  seen,  under  the  blessed  light 
9f  the  sun,  any  thing  like  the  eyerlast- 
ing  number  of  mackerel  in  one  shoal  on 
onr  sea-coast.  Millions  is  too  little  a 
word  for  it ;  acres  of  them  is  too  small 
s  tarm  to  give  a  right  notion  ;  miles  of 
them,  perhaps,  is  more  like  the  thing ; 
ind  when  they  rise  to  the  surface,  it's  a 
solid  body  of  fish  you  sail  through.  It's 
»  beautiful  sight  to  see  them  come  tum- 
bling into  a  harbor,  head  over  tail,  and 
tsil  over  head,  jumping  and  thumping, 
sputtering  and  fluttering,  lashing  and 
tDrashing,  with  a  gurgling  kind  of  sound, 


Here  we  are, 


my 


as  much  as  to  say, 

hearties  I  How  are  you  off  for  salt  ? 
Is  your  barrels  all  ready  ? — because  we 
ire.  So  bear  a  hand,  and  out  with  your 
nets,  as  we  are  off  to  the  next  harbor 
to-morrow,  and  don't  wait  for  suoh  lazy 
fellows  as  you  be.'  Well,  when  they 
ecme  in  shoals  that  way,  the  fishermen 
come  in  swarms,  too.  0,  it  beats  all 
Mtur — that's  a  tact !  Did  you  ever  stand 
on  a  beach,  miss,  or  on  a  pasture,  that's 
on  a  river,  or  on  a  bay,  and  see  a  great 
flook  of  plover,  containing  hundreds,  and 
hundreds,  and  hundreds  of  birds,  come 
and  light  all  at  once  in  one  spot,  whore 
I  minute  afore  there  warn't  one  ?  Well, 
that's  the  way  with  humans  on  the  fish- 
ery-stations.  Take  Crow  Harbor,  now, 
or  Fox  Island,  or  Just-au-Corps  Point, 
or  Jiouisburg,  or  any  of  them  places, 
whenever  the  fish  strike  in,  they  are  all 
crowded  right  up  in  a  minute,  chock 
full  of  people  from  all  parts  of  these 
colonies  and  eastern  states  of  America, 
in  flats  and  boats,  and  decked  vessels, 
and  shallops,  and  schooners,  and  pinks, 
and  sloops,  and  smacks,  and  every  kind 
and  sort  of  small  craft ;  and,  in  course, 
where  there  are  such  a  number  of  men, 
the  few  women  that  live  near  hand  just 
j  lay  down  the  law  their  own  way,  and 
[tarry  things  with  a  high  hand.     Like 


all  other  legislators,  too,  they  make 
'naotments  to  suit  themselves.  Petti- 
coat government  is  a  pretty  tyrannical 
government,  I  tell  you." 

"Why,  Mr.  Stephen  I"  said  Mias 
Lucy.   ' 

"Beg  your  pardon,  miss,  I  aetilly 
forgat  that  time,"  he  continued.  "  1  did 
make  a  hole  in  my  manners  that  pitch,  I 

5 rant,  and  I  am  sorry  for  it.  It  don't 
o  to  tell  the  truth  at  all  times,  that's  a 
fact.  The  fishery  regulation  that  I  am 
a-going  to  speak  of  is  repealed  now,  I 
guess,  every  where  a'most,  except  at  the 
Magdalen  Islands,  and  there,  I  believe, 
it  is  in  full  force  yet,  and  carried  out 
very  strict ;  but  I  recollect  when  it 
prevailed   hero   at  Shad    Harbor,  and 

?oor  Luke  Loon  suffered  under  it 
'ime  files  so,  a  body  can  hardly  believe, 
when  they  look  back,  that  things  that 
seem  as  if  they  happened  yesterday,  ao- 
tilly  took  place  twenty  years  ago ;  but 
so  it  is,  and  it  appears  to  me  sometimes, 
as  if  the  older  events  are,  the  clearer 
they  be  in  the  mind  ;  but  I  suppose  it  is, 
because  they  are  like  the  lines  of  our  farms 
in  the  woods,  so  often  blazed  anew,  by  go- 
ing, over  agin  and  agin,  they  are  kept 
fresh  and  plain.  Howsumever  that  may 
be,  it's  about  the  matter  of  nineteen 
years  ago  come  next  February,  when 
that  misfortunate  orittur,  Luke  Loon, 
came  to  me  in  a  most  desperate  pucker 
of  a  hurry — 

"  ♦  Steve,'  says  he, '  for  Heaven's  sake  I 
let  me  have  a  horse,  that's  a  good  fellow 
— ^will  you  ?  to  go  to  Shad  Harbor ;  and 
I'll  pay  you  any  thing  in  the  world 
you'll  ask  for  it.' 

"  '  Are  you  in  a  great  hurry?'  said  I. 

" '  I  must  clap  on  all  sail  and  scud 
before  the  wind  like  the  devil.  I  have 
not  a  minit  to  lose,'  said  he. 

" '  Then  you  can't  have  him,'  said  T, 
'  for  you  will  ride  the  beast  too  fast.' 

"  You  never  saw  a  fellor  so  taken 
a-back,  and  so  chop-fullen.  in  all  your 
life.  He  walked  about  the  room,  and 
wrung  bis  hitnds,  and  groaned  as  if  his 
heart  was  bieaking,  and  at  last  he  fairly 
boo-hooed  right  out — 

"  '  0,  my  soul !'  said  he,  *  I  shall  lose 
Miss  Loon,  my  wife,  for  a  sartenty  I  I 


,\^ 

ft; 


.^^ 


\\m,f. 


■M 


«f  ■•; 


,     4 

■J 


.*  ■*■  \ 


ICO 


THE  OLD  JUDGE:  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  C6L0NY. 


shall  be  adrift  again  in  the  world,  as 
sure  a.i  fate  !  I  have  only  to-morrow  to 
reacli  iioiiio  in ;  for,  by  the  law  of  the 
fisliery,  if  a  man  is  absent  over  three 
months,  his  wife  can  marry  again  ;  and 
the  time  will  be  up  in  twenty-four  hours. 
What  onder  the  sun  shall  I  do  V 

" '  If  that's  the  sort  of  gall  she  is, 
Luke,'  said  I, '  she  wo'nt  keep ;  let  her 
run  into  another  man's  net  if  she  likes, 
for  she  wo'nt  stand  the  inspection 
brand,  and  ain't  a  No.   1  article!    Do 

{rou  just  bait  your  hook  and  try  yonr 
uck  agin,  for  there  is  as  good  fish  in 
the  sea  as  was  ever  hauled  out  of  it !' 

"  But  he  carried  on  so  after  the  gall, 
and  took  it  so  much  to  heart,  I  actilly 
pitied  the  crittur  ;  and  at  last  consent- 
ed to  let  him  have  the  horse.  Poor 
fellow  !  he  was  too  late  after  all.  His 
vife,  the  cunning  minx,  to  make  up 
time,  counted  the  day  of  sailing  as  one 
day,  which  was  onfair,  oncustomary,  and 
contrary  to  the  fishery  laws ;  and  was 
married  agin  the  night  before  he  arrived, 
to  big  Tom  Bullock,  of  Owl's  Head. 
When  Luke  heard  it  he  nearly  went 
crazy  ;  he  raved  and  carried  on  so,  and 
threatened  to  shoot  Tom,  seeing  that  he 
warn't  able  to  thrash  him  ;  but  the  more 
he  raved  the  more  the  neighbors'  boys 
and  galls  made  game  of  him,  following 
him  about,  and  singing  out — 

"  •  Get  out  of  the  way,  old  Dan  Tucker, 
You  are  too  late  to  come  to  supper ! ' " 

And  fairly  tormented  him  out  of  the 
fishery-station." 

"  Ah !"  said  Miss  Lucy,  "  I  know  you 
made  that  story — didn't  you,  now  ?  It 
ain't  true,  is  it?" 

"Fact!  I  assure  you,"  said  Stephen. 
"There  is  others  besides  me  that's  a 
knowing  to  it 

"  Well,  I  n  jver !"  said  the  young  lady. 
"That  beats  all  I  ever  heard.  O  my! 
what  folks  fishing  people  must  bo  I" 

'<  Well,  there  are  some  droll  things 
done,  and  droll  people  to  do  them  iu 
this  world,"  replied  Stephen. 

An  exclamation  of  delight  from  one 
of  the  little  boys  who  had  fallen  from 
the  concealed  staircase  into  the  middle 
of  the  room,  during  the  cushion  dance 
of  the  preceding  night,  recalled  Miss 


Lucy's  attention  to  his  delinquency; 
and  she  sent  the  little  culprit  on  to  bed, 
notwithstanding  Mr.  Stephen's  earnest 
entreaties  to  the  contrary.  The  young 
lady  was  inexorable.     She  said — 

"  That  in  an  establishment  like  that 
of  Mount  Hope,  nothing  could  be  ac- 
complished withnutordcr and  regularity; 
and  that  there  were  certain  rules  in  tho 
household  wliicli  were  never  deviated 
from  on  any  account  whatever." 

"  You  don't  mean  to  say,"  inquired 
Stephen,  "  that  you  have  rules  you  never 
alter  or  bend  a  little  on  one  side,  if  yoa 
don't  break  them,  do  you  ?" 

"Yes  I  do?"  said  Miss  Lucy,  "I 
couldn't  keep  house  if  I  didn't !" 

"  Well,  you  must  break  one  of  them 
for  me  to-night,  my  little  rose-bud '" 

"Indeed,  I  shall  not!" 

"  O,  but  you  must !" 

«  0,  but  I  must  not !"  ' 

"  0,  but  you  wilV,  tho' !" 

"  O,  but  I  won't,  tho' !" 

"  Well,  we  shall  see,"  said  Stephen ; 
"  but  you  are  too  hard  on  those  poor 
little  fellows.  They  are  nice,  manly 
little  boys,  and  I  love  them  ;  and,  after 
all,  what  is  it  they  did,  now  ?" 

"What  became  of  poor  Luke?"  said 
the  inflexible  hostess,  in  order  to  turn 
the  conversation.  "  I  should  like  to 
hear  the  rest  of  that  story." 

"Poor  little  dears!"  said  Stephen, 
regardless  of  the  question  ;  "  it  was  nat- 
ural they  should  be  curious  to  peep  at 
the  dancing,  and  that  their  mouths 
should  water  when  they  saw  and  heard 
them  forfeits  of  kibses  warn't  it  ?" 

"  0,  never  mind  the  boys,  Mr.  Ste- 
phen," she  replied.  "  It's  time  they 
went  to  bed,  at  any  rate ;  but  Lube'— 
did  you  ever  hear  of  him  afterwarm?" 

"  I  didn't  think  you  would  be  so  hard- 
hearted, now,  Miss  Lucy,"  he  said,  pur- 
suing the  subject,  "  for  it  was  nothing 
to  what  happened  to  Hans  Mader,  a 
neighbor  of  mine  in  Clements.". 

"  0,  I  don't  want  ♦j  hear  of  Hans 
Mader — tell  me  ab^at  Luke!" 

"  Well,  I  will  p-^'sently ;  but  I  must  tell 
you  of  Han?  ''.«*8t,  for  there  is  some  fun  iu 
what  happened  to  him,  and  t'other  ia 
a'most  a  dismal,  melancholy  story,    Hani 


4' 


way,  won 
goes  the 
thing  in 
And  tbei 
ter;  iieii 
>  multitu 
ter  Hana 


delinqueticy; 
pritoff  tobod, 
)hen's  earnest 
The  young 
B  said — 
lent  like  that 

could  be  ac- 
md  regularity; 
in  rules  in  tho 
icver  deviated 
tever." 

say,"  inquired 
rules  you  nevei 
)ne  side,  if  yon 
I?" 

Iis8   Lucy,  "I 
didn't  1" 
k  one  of  tbem 
3  rose-bud '" 


'!" 
!"  ^ 

said  Stepbcn; 

on  those  poor 
ire  nice,  manly 
lem ;  and,  after 
now  I" 

or  Luke?"  said 
I  order  to  turn 
should   like  to 

>ry." 

said  Stephen, 
)n  ;  "  it  was  nat- 
ioua  to  peep  at 
b  their  mouths 
J  saw  and  heard 
yarn'tit?" 
boys,  Mr.  Ste- 

It's  time  they 
j;  but  Luka'- 
m  afterwards?" 
lyould  be  so  hard- 
ly,"  he  said,  pur- 
r  it  was  nothing 

Hans  Mader,  a 
ements.". 

J  hear  of  Hans 
Luke!" 

y ;  but  I  must  tell 
ere  is  some  fun  iu 
\.  and  t'other  is 
holy  story.   Hani 


A  CHASE  FOR  A  WIFE. 


161 


was  an  only  child ;  he  was  the  son  of  old 
Jacob  Mader,  of  Clements.    Jacob  was 
rich — that  is,  for  a  farmer — and  was  the 
most  'sponsible  man  in  the  township,  by 
all  odds.     He  turned  off  every  year  a 
Burprising  quantity  of  stuff  from   his 
place  for  the  Halifax,  St.  John,  or  An- 
napolis markets,  and  Hans  was  his  su- 
percargo, or  salesman.      The  old  man 
raised  the  crops,  and  Hans  was  employed 
to  dispose  of  them,  and  turn  them  into 
cash.     He  was  a  tall,  well-built,  hand- 
some, likely  young  man  as  you'd  see 
any  where ;  but,  going  so  much  to  them 
large  towns,  kind  of  turned  his  head, 
and  made  him  conceited  and  vain.     He 
gave  up  his  honest  homespun,  like  Lay- 
ton  here,  and  took  to  broadcloth,  anrl 
had  his  clothes  made  by  a  city  tailo 
and  wore  a  black  stock,  and  a  silk  waist- 
coat, and  a  frilled  shirt,  and  tight  boots, 
and  a  gold  watch-guard,  and  curled  his 
hair,  and  grew  int(  a  crittur  that  was 
neither  fish  nor  flesh,  nor   chalk  nor 
cheese,  as  a  body  might  say.     He  lost 
the  look  of  a  farmer,  and  never  got  that 
of  a  gentleman  ;  for  clothes  don't  make 
a  gentleman  a  bit  more  than  boots  make 
a  farmer.     A  man  must  be  broughten 
up  to  the  business  like  any  thing  else, 
to  be  either  the  one  or  the  other.     The 
only  place  ho  ever  looked  at  home  in 
his  new  toggery  was  a  horseback ;  be- 
cause, when  he  was  there,  he  knew  what 
to  do  with  his  arms  and  legs,  and  was 
easy  and  natural,  for  almost  all  the  men- 
folk in  this  country  are  good  horsemen, 
in  a  general  way.     None  of  the  young 
galls  to  Clements  liked  him  a  bit,  for 
ne  was  scorny  and  full  of  airs,  and  turn- 
ed up  his  nose  at  them,  and  looked  at 
them  through  a  round  bit  of  glass  in  a  i 
gold  ring,   that   he  called   a   quizzing  i 
glass ;  -but  still  there  warn't  one  of  them  i 
that  wouldn't  have  taken  him  either,  if 
they  had  tho  chance,  although  they  all 
vowed  they  wouldn't ;  for,  in  a  general 
way,  women  like  to  have  a  man  that 
goes  the  whole  figiire,  and   does   the 
thing  in  the  way  they  think  genteel. 
And  there  is  no  mistake  about  the  mat- 
ter ;  heirship,  in  mother's  eyes,  covers 
a  multitude  of  sins  in  a  youngster.    Mas- 
ter Hans  just  amused  himself  with  all 
U 


the  likeliest  galls  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  kind  of  played  them  off  to  feed  hii 
vanity  one  arter  another.  First  he  be- 
gan with  Betsy  Hisser.  She  was  an 
only  child,  too,  like  himself ;  and,  in  the 
course  of  things,  would  own  the  farm 
adjoining  him,  and  the  two  would  have 
made  a'most  a  grand  estate.  It  was 
jnst  a  suitable  match  for  him  every  way; 
and  any  body  would  say,  a  nateral  and  a 

Erobable  one  ;  but  nateral  things,  some 
ow  or  another,  don't  always  come  to  pass 
in  this  world  ;  it's  the  onlikely  ones  that 
seem  to  turn  up  oftenest.  She  was  a  fine 
healthy,  hearty,  handsome  gall ;  none 
of  your  pah  delicate,  narvous,  hysteriky 
critturs,  that  ain't  fit  for  nothing  onder 
the  sun,  but  drinking  tea,  and  laying 
about  on  sofas  reading  novels,  like  the 
onderboned,  hollow-cheeked,  skinny, 
spindle  breed,  that's  going  in  this  coun- 
try now ;  but  a  rael  solid,  corn-fed  gall, 
as  plump  as  a  partridge,  as  hard  as  a 

winter  apple,  and  as  full  of" 

"  Pooh !"  said  Miss  Lucy,  "  what  do 
you  know  about  young  ladies  ?  Go  on 
with  your  story,  and  then  tell  us  of  poor 
Luke  Loon." 

"  Well,  he  always  attended  Betsy  to 
singing-school,  or  walked  home  with  her 
from  cliurch,  and  would  sit  down  with- 
her  (on  the  ship-timber  hauled  out  and 
left  there  for  exportation,  by  the  way 
side,  up  Moose  Biver  Hill)  ever  so  many 
times  agoing  up  the  ascent,  because  it 
was  so  steep,  he  said ;  but  it  was  only 
for  an  excuse  to  lengthen  time  out,  and 
would  make  eyes  with  her,  and  inveigle 
her  to  make  eyes  with  him,  and  leer 
like  a  pair  of  doves  \  or  he  would  drive 
her  out  in  his  fly,  with  his  great,  big, 
smashing,  trotting  horse,  '  Buckety- 
witch  ; '  dance  with  no  one  else  but  her 
at  all  tho  parties,  and  see  her  home  ar- 
torwards,  and  then  stand  at  her  gate, 
he  on  one  side  of  it,  and  she  on  the 
other  side  of  it,  whispering  by  tho  hour, 
till  their  lips  got  half-budded  on  to  each 
other's  cheeks,  like  two  colts  in  summer 
putting  necks  to,c;ether  over  a  fence  to 
rub  off  flies.  Well,  the  young  ladies 
grew  jealous,  and  wondered  what  ho 
could  sec  in  Betsy  Kisser  to  be  so  taken 
with  her,  and  then  turned  to  pitying 


<  ft 


If': 


■•i'l* 


i  I 


!■;;" 


'I 


..  n 


162 


THE  OLD  JUDGE ;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


I!  J^..*4 


'  • '*'.! 


roor  Hans  fr>r  being  so  kooked  in  and 
fooled  by  thaJ;  artful,  knowing  woman, 
old  Mother  Risser,  and  her  forrard,  im- 
pedcnt  darter ;  but  they  supposed  he 
was  only  agoing  to  marry  her  for  her 
money.  Well,  when  he'd  get  things  to 
this  pass,  and  show  the  world  he  could 
have  Betsy  just  for  whistling  for  her, 
if  he  wanted  her,  he'd  take  up  with  Ann 
Potter,  and  just  go  through  the  identi- 
cal same  manoeuvres  with  her ;  and 
when  they'd  drive  past  poor  Betsy  Kis- 
ser, Ann  would  look  round  so  pleased 
and  call  out,  '  How  do  you  do,  Betsy, 
dear?  How  are  all  to  home  to-day?' 
and  put  on  an  air  of  sweet  keenness,  that 
cats  into  the  heart  like  a  razor  dipt  in 
oil,  and  a  sort  of  boasting,  crowing  kind 
of  look,  as  much  as  to  say,  <  I  have  got 
him,  and  got  your  place  too !  and  he'll 
not  slip  through  my  fingers  as  he  did 
througn  yours.  Don't  you  wish  you 
may  get  him  again  ? '  Then  the  women 
kind  would  take  to  pitying  poor  Betsy 
(for  no  matches  ever  please  mothers  if 
they  ain't  in  their  own  family),  and  say 
how  ill  she  was  used,  and  what  a  scan- 
dalous  shame  it  was  for  Ann  to  try  to 
inveigle  an  engaged  man  ;  and  it  would 
sarve  her  right  if  Hans  dropt  her  some 
day,  just  in  the  same  way,  and  so  oh. 
Well,  sure  enough,  all  at  oncet  he  gives 
Ann  a  chance  to  walk  along  with  Betsy, 
and  compare  notes  together,  for  he  goes 
and  flirts  the  same  way  with  another, 
and  so  on,  all  through  the  piece,  with 
every  young  woman  worth  galavanting 
with.  The  drollest  part  of  the  whole 
thing  was,  every  gall  thought  she  was 
to  bo  an  exception  ;  and  however  bad 
he  ha^i  sarved  others,  he  wouldn't  sarve 
her  that  way  on  no  account.  Well,  all 
tliis  tomfoolery  didn't  make  him  very 
popular,  you  may  depend,  among  the 
petticoat  creation.  Women  forgive  in- 
juries, but  never  forget  slights.  Wrong 
tlieni.  and  they  will  exhibit  the  mildness 
of  angels ;  slight  theui,  and  they  will 
show  the  temper  of  the  devil !" 

"Why,  Mr.  Stephen,"  said  Miss  Lucy, 
"  how  you  talk  !" 

'•  Fact,  dear ;  and  there  is  no  blame  to 
them  for  it  neither.  Females,  you  sec. 
were  made  to  please,  and  to  charm,  and 


to  win ;  and  if  you  tell  them  they  dis- 
please, disgust,  and  lose,  it's  just  purs 
nature  they  should  flare  up  and  explode 
like  gun-cotton — make  all  fly  agam  bo- 
fore  them.  Well,  fish  that  will  keep  a- 
nibbling  at  bait,  most  often  get  the  hook 
in  their  gills  at  last ;  and  Master  Hans, 
who  was  trying  the  same  sport  at  Hali- 
fax, got  hauled  out  of  water  and  bagged, 
one  fine  day,  afore  he  knew  where  he 
was.  Country  galls  are  onsophisticated 
anglers ;  they  don't  know  of  no  bait  but 
the  coarse  worm,  and  that  requires  a 
good  appetite,  and  favorable  weather, 
and  right  depth  of  water,  and  so  on. 
But  city  galls  have  a  fly  of  every  cola-, 
for  every  season  ;  and  if  one  won't  do, 
they  try  another,  and  sink  it,  or  skim  it 
over  the  surface,  and  trempt  the  knowing 
doep-water  chaps  to  an  unwary  jump 
sometimes,  that  costs  them  their  liberty, 
that  all  the  aprinsing,  and  flouncing, 
and  flapping  in  the  world  won't  regain. 
It  made  a  great  talk,  you  may  depend, 
in  Clements,  when  it  was  known  Hans 
was  married  at  Halifax,  and  had  brought 
back  a  town-bred  wife  with  him.  0, 
creation !  what  a  wife  she  was  for  a 
farmer  ?  She  was  like  a  night-hawk,  all 
mouth,  wings,  legs,  and  feathers." 

"  What  a  man  you  bo !"  said  Miss 
Lucy. 

"  She  was  just  made  up  of  lace,  rib- 
ands, muslins,  silks,  satins,  plumes,  and 
artificial  flowers,  and  actilly  was  so  thin 
she  wore  a  monstrous  large  pillow  be- 
hind, so  she  might  look  solid  and  nate- 
ral,  like  our  Dutch  galls  ;  but  tbtjn,  to 
have  made  that  look  of  a  piece,  she 
should  have  padded  all  over,  so  as  to 
make  things  keep  proportion." 

"  i'ooh  !  nonsense,"  said  Miss  Lucy. 
"  You  don't  know  what  you  are  a-talklng 
about;  it  was  nothing  but  her  bustle!" 

"  But  I  do  know  what  I  am  talking 
about,  miss  !"  said  Stephen.  ••  I  know 
no  part  of  the  body,  whether  it's  the 
bustle,  as  you  call  it,  or  the  bhest,  or 
the  hand,  or  the  foot,  ought  to  be  out  of 
proportion.  To  my  notion,  proportioD 
is  beauty  in  every  thing  under  heaven 
Your  bustle,  now" 

'■  Do,  for  gracious  sake,  go  on  with 
your  story !"    replied  the  young  ladv 


was  a  priso 
iilways  wet 
ffithout  sp( 
cold.    Th< 
60  hard,  no 
her  life, 
climbed  ov 
and  tore  1 
irhen  she  ^ 
enormous, 
tail  curled 
6ent  down 
ipawing  d 
possible,  ai 
to  death ; 
iiad  to  run 
clambered 
fieels  over 
out  of  the 
the  clover 
like  a  net, 
step,  and 
and  the  g 
and  the 
the  musqi 
Wh 
felt  safe ; 
and  an  old 
beautiful, 
black  riba_ 
imall  hei«. 


I 


hem  they  dia- 
it's  just  pure 
p  and  explode 
I  fly  again  bo- 
lt will  keep  a- 

I  get  the  hook 
Master  Hans, 
sport  at  Hali- 
3r  and  bagged, 
new  where  he 
insophisticated 

of  no  bait  but 
hat  requires  a 
rable  weather, 
er,  and  so  on. 
of  every  colcr, 

one  won't  do, 
k  it,  or  skim  it 
pt  the  knowing 

unwary  jump 
m.  their  liberty, 
and  flouncing, 
d  won't  regain. 
)u  may  depend, 
s  known  Hans 
,nd  had  brought 
with  him.  0, 
she  was  for  a 

night-hawk,  all 
feathers." 
be !"   said  Miss 

up  of  lace,  rib- 
ins,  plumes,  and 
tilly  was  so  thin 
large  pillow  be- 
:  solid  and  nate- 
Is  ;  but  <!h«n,  to 
of  a  piece,  she 

II  over,  so  as  to 
)rtion." 

said  Miss  Lucy. 
you  are  a-talking 
but  her  bustle!" 
lilt  I  am  talking 
phen.  "  I  know 
whether  it's  the 
or  the  fchest,  ot 
ught  to  be  out  of 
otiou,  proportion 
g  under  heaven 

jake,  go  on  witb 
the  young  ladv 


A  CHASE  FOR  A  WIPE. 


163 


impatiently,  "  and  finish  it  as  quick  as 
you  can,  and  then  tell  me  of  poor  Luke!" 
"  0  !  how  old  Harm  Mader  opened 
her  eyes  and  stared,  when  she  seed  this 
crittur  come  home  for  her  to  wait  upon, 
that  couldn't  spin,  or  knit,  or  hackle,  or 
weave,  or  milk  cows,  or  churn  butter,  or 
make  cheese,  or  do  any  airthly  single 
thing  on  a  farm.  The  poor,  romantic, 
milliner's-doll  sort  of  thing,  was  so  aw- 
ful disappointed,  so  unused  to  country 
ffays,  and  so  lonely  and  wretched,  she 
vas  to  be  pitied  too.  She  actilly  almost 
etarved  to  death  in  the  midst  of  pleric;;, 
for  she  couldn't  eat  any  thing  they  had. 
She  hated  smoked  herrings  ;  the  flavor 
of  dry  cod-fish  made  her  faint ;  pickled 
oork  was  too  fai  and  rancid  ;  salt  beef 
too  hard  and  indigestible ;  and  brown 
bread  only  fit  for  the  penitentiary,  while 
fried  ham  and  eggs  actilly  poisoned  her. 
Though  the  countrj^  looked  so  green 
and  beautiful,  she  couldn't  get  out,  and 
was  a  prisoner  to  home.  The  grass  was 
always  wet,  and  she  couldn't  walk  out 
without  spoiling  her  clothes  or  catching 
cold.  The  gpat  oncet  gave  her  a  bump 
60  hard,  nothing  but  the  big  pillow  saved 
her  life.  To  get  out  of  his  way,  she 
climbed  over  a  great  high  wooden  fence, 
and  tore  her  gown  all  to  pieces ;  and, 
when  she  got  i\ito  the  field,  there  was  an 
enormous,  nasty  brute  of  a  bull,  with  his 
tail  curled  up  in  the  air,  and  his  nose 
6ent  down  to  the  ground,  a-roaring,  and 
ipawing  dirt  with  his  feet,  as  savage  as 
possible,  and  he  nearly  frightened  her 
to  death  ;  and,  to  escapo  from  him,  she 
had  to  run  to  the  next  fence,  and  half- 
clambered  and  half-tumbled  head  over 
lieels  over  that.  Well,  it  was  like  going 
oat  of  the  frying  pan  ,  into  the  fire,  for 
the  clover  there  was  long,  and  tangled 
like  a  net,  and  tripping  her  up  every 
step,  and  the  thistles  hurt  her  ankles, 
and  the  grasshoppers  got  up  her  legs, 
and  the  black  flies  down  her  back,  and 
the  musquitoes  nearly  bunged  up  her 
eyes.  When  she  got  to  the  road,  she 
felt  safe ;  and  there  was  a  pond  there, 
ind  an  old  wild  goosy  gander,  with  his 
beautiful,  long,  graceful,  taper  neck,  and 
black  riband-like  stripe  round  it,  and  his 
imall  hetud,  and  bright  eye^  and  his  old 


white  wife  of 


and 


their 
saw  any 


a  tame  goose, 
mongrel  goslins.  She  never 
thing  half  so  handsome  in  all  her  life'; 
and  she  stopt  and  wanted  tp  pet  the 
young  ones,  when  old  nor-wester  made 
a  grab  at  her  waist,  and  held  on  like  a 
fox-trap,  and  beat  her  hips  so  with  his 
wings,  she  was  black  and  blue,  and  hurt 
her  arras  so  bad,  they  were  all  numbed 
(for  they  hit  awful  hard  blows,  I  tell 
you).  0 !  she  ran,  and  screamed,  and 
sung  out  pen  and  ink  like  any  thing ; 
but  what  is  the  use  of  running  and 
screaming  in  the  country ;  there  is  no 
one  there  to  hear  you  or  help  you,  if 
you  do.  There  warn't  a  living  thing 
near  her  but  an  old  mare  and  her  colt 
a-feeding  by  the  way-side ;  and  they 
neighed,  and  squeeled,  and  joined  in  the 
race  too.  At  last  the  frock-waist  gave 
way,  and  down  dropt  the  goose  and  tod- 
dled back  to  his  family;  and  off  went 
the  disconsolate  ':ride  to  her  home  too. 
Well,  home  warn't  free  from  vexations 
neither,  for  the  old  folks  kept  such  awful 
bad  hours,  it  upset  all  her  habits,  for 
they  went  to  bed  so  early  she  couldn't 
sleep  till  near  morning ;  and  then  the 
cocks  crowed,  as  if  they  were  raving 
distracted  at  their  wives  snoosing  so 
long,  and  the  cows  called  after  their 
calves,  and  the  pigs  after  their  food ; 
and  this  quiet,  peaceable  farm-house,  ap- 
peared to  her  a  sort  of  Tower  of  Babel. 
To  get  a  litle  rest,  and  be  alone  by  her- 
self, she  took  a  book  and  went  to  the 
beautiful  grove  that  stood  on  the  point 
of  land  that  ran  out  into  the  magnificent 
basin,  and  opened  such  i-'plendid  views, 
and  went  into  the  pretty  little  summer- 
house-looking  building  there,  to  sit  down 
and  enjoy  herself,  when,  just  as  she 
opened  the  door,  she  was  nearly  knock- 
ed over  and  stifled  by  clouds  of  saw- 
dust smoke,  for  it  was  a  smoke-hut  for 
curing  herrings  ;  and  the  beach  e'en- 
amost  poisoned  her,  it  smelt  so .  horrid 
where  the  fish  were  cleaned.  She  was 
in  a  peck  of  troubles,  that's  a  fiict.  Still 
it  didn't  seem  to  take  the  non.sense  out 
of  her.  Whenever  she  went  among  the 
neighbors,  she  made  them  stare,  she 
talked  so  fine  and  so  foolish  about  balls 
at  Mason's  Hall,  pic-nics  at  M-Nab'.* 


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164 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  UFE  IN  A  COLON V. 


lolftnd,  steam-trips  up  the  basin,  the 

Jtarade  and  the  military  band,  and  the 
ashions,  and  so  on.  She  took  me  in 
hand  onoet,and  ran  on  like  a  mill-stream, 
about  a  regatta  anJ  the  theatre,  and  how 
well  Captain  Drill  of  the  15th,  and  Ma- 
jor Halt  of  the  18th.  and  Colonel  March 
of  the  7th,  performed ;  and  what  a 
charming  little  afterpiece  the  farce  of 
High  Ltfe  below  Stairs  was. 

"  '  That's  a  farce,'  says  I, '  marm,  we 
see  played  every  day  of  our  lives,  with- 
out going  to  the  theatre  for  it.  Hans 
has  been  acting  a  part  in  that  for  this 
while  past ;  and  I  am  glad  he  has  got  a 
woman  of  sense  for  his  wife  now,  that 
will  not  let  him  make  a  fool  of  himself 
any  longer.' 

"  '  I  don't  understand  you,  sir,'  she 
said. 

<'  <  Well,  it  ain't  easy  to  see  them 
things  all  at  oncet,  my  dear  friend,'  says 
I ;  'but  you  will  come  to  see  it  all  in 
its  right  light  afore  long,  I  make  no 
doubt.' 

"  Well,  to  make  a  long  story  short, 
arter  they  had  been  the  round  of  all  the 
parties  to  all  their  neighbors,  and  shown 
off  all  their  airs  and  all  their'  finery, 
thej  gave  a  large  tea  squall  themselves 
to  home,  in  return,  and  invited  all  their 
acquaintance.  Hans  and  his  wife  un- 
dertook to  astonish  the  weak  nerves  of 
the  Clements'  folks,  and  to  do  the  thing 
genteel.  So  instead  of  sitting  down  to  a 
good,  solid,  well-found  and  furnished 
tea-table,  sociably  and  comfortably  as 
we  farmers  do,  and  help  each  other  and 
ourselves,  nothing  must  do  but  have 
the  things  ^handed  about  to  the  folks, 
who  sat  all  round  the  room,  as  stiff  and 
formal  as  their  chairs,  doing  company. 

"  Well,  as  they  had  no  servants  to  do 
this,  the  bound  farm  apprentice-boy  was 
enlisted ;  but,  just  at  the  last  moment, 
they  recollected  he  had  no  clothes  fit  for 
it ;  so  they  got  over  this  difficulty  by 
putting  him  into  a  pair  of  trousers  of 
Hans',  that  were  a  mile  too  long  and 
too  big  for  him.  The  lees  they  short- 
ened by  turning  in ;  but  the  waist,  what 
in  the  world  was  to  be  done  with  that  ? 
'  I  have  it,'  says  Hans  ;  so  he  lapped  it 
.over  in  places  about  his  loins,  like  reef- 


inff,  and  inclosed  and  fastened  it  all  bi 
a  belt.  Arter  the  company  had  arrived  i 
the  little  fellow  fetched  in  a  large  trar 
as  much  as  he  could  cleverly  stretch  his 
arms  to  (indeed,  it  was  so  wide,  it  made  j 
him  stretch  his  eyes  and  his  mouth  too 
as  if  that  would  help  him),  and  went 
round  to  each  one  in  order.  I  seed  the  I 
whole  thing  with  half  an  eye  in  a  minute 
and  was  determined  to  take  a  rise  out  I 
of  them  ;  so,  says  I, '  Hold  the  tray  a 
little  higher,  my  man,'  and  I  saw  tho 
belt  slip  up  a  bit ;  '  just  a  little  higher 
yet,  my  boy :  there,  that  will  do  ;'  and 
up  went  the  belt,  and  down  went  the 
trousers  to  his  hips.  '0  my !'  says  the 
poor  crittur,  and  he  actilly  looked  scared 
to  death.  '  0,  my  sakes  I'  sais  he ;  and 
I  railly  did  pity  him,  for  he  couldn't  let 
go  the  tray,  and  he  couldn't  hitch  np 
or  hold  on  to  his  trousers  ;  so  he  stretch- 
ed out  both  legs  as  wide  as  ever  he 
could  (he  couldn't  do  no  more,  if  he  had 
had  a  tray  there  too),  and  he  kind  of 
skated,  or  slid,  for  the  door,  arter  that 
fashion  ;  but  when  he  got  there  he  stuck, 
and  couldn't  get  through.  At  last  he 
grew  desperate,  and  tried  to  dra^ 
one  foot  and  send  it  back  again  as  quick 
as  wink,  so  as  to  pass  out ;  but  he 
couldn't  manage  it,  and  down  went  his 
trousers  to  his  knees,  and  pitched  him 
head  foremost  into  the  tray,  slap  on  the 
entry  floor.  I  ran  forward,  and  picked 
him  up  by  his  waistband,  and  shook  hin 
into  his  trousers  again,  and  carried  I 
at  arms'  length  that  way,  kicking  anil 
squeeling  like  any  thing. 

« '  Here  is  a  beautiful  little  after- 
piece, marm,'  sais  I  to  Mrs.  Mader, 
'  called, «  High  Life  below  Stairs.'  This 
boy  plays  it  just  as  well  as  Captaia 
Drill  or  Major  Halt ;'  and  then,  handing 
him  to  Hans, '  Here,'  says  I, '  my  friend 
clap  an  old  hat  on  him,  and  stand  him 
up  in  the  corn-field  to  scare  away  crows; 
and  let  you  and  me  wait  on  ourselves, 
as  we  used  to  did,  and  the  old  folks  did 
afore  us.' 

"  It  cured  them  of  their  nonsense, 
though  not  just  at  once — for  folly  is  i 
disease  that  takes  a  course  of  medicine 
but  it  cured  them  in  tho  long  run.  Yoil 
may  preach  till  you  are  tired,  miss,  m 


N  the  pan 
can't  effect 
folks  out  0 
that  that'« 
Lucy,  you 
jio  hard  on 
balf  so  ba 
ifter  all,  w; 
dent,  and  t 

"Well, 
must  say, 
you,  now ; 
tuch  a  tricl 
tave  forgiv< 
lived.      Bv 
poor  Luke 
know  all  th 

But  Ste] 
plying. 

"  The  nej 
'Steve,'  saic 
bit  for  mak 
when  his  brc 
ofhospitalit 

'"Then  t 
ttys  I.  '  G 
wants  them. 


w 
bo' 


'no  nonsen 
gard  for  yo 
ind  tried  fr 
I  great  rega 
worse  felloe 
m  have  i 
)y.     You 
loivn-bred  g 
common  wit 
ay  her  pa 
ay  a  fidd 
"'Mind 
18  short  anc 
I  don't  wa 
'"Don't 
'now;  recti 
ker,  for  it  ai 
ibout    dairi 
things,  a  bit 
lon't  know 
leither  of 
!fow,  when 
ler  there,  a 
slie'll  lam. 
ind  returns 
lo.utfindhe 
ind  if  she 


A  CHASE  FOR  A  WIFE. 


165 


rs  ;  so  he  stretch- 1 


10  the  parsons  will  all  tell  you,  and  you 
can't  effect  much  ;  but  you  can  ridicule 
folks  out  of  any  thing,  aye,  even  out  of 
that  that'3  good.  So  you  see,  Miss 
Lucy,  you  hadn't  ought  to  have  been 
so  hard  on  those  poor  boys ;  it  warn't 
half  so  bad  as  Hans  Mader's  mishap, 
ifter  all,  was  it  ?  for  one  was  mere  acci- 
dent, and  the  other  horrid,  dirty  pride." 

« Well,  well,"  said  Miss  Lucy ;  "  I 
must  say,  it  was  very  mischievous  of 
you,  now  ;  and  if  you  had  a-played  me 
such  a  trick  in  my  house,  I  never  would 
tave  forgiven  you  the  longest  day  I  ever 
lived.  But  tell  me  what  became  of 
pr  Luke  Loon?  I  am  curious  to 
know  all  the  particulars  about  hiui." 

But  Stephen  proceeded  without  re- 
plying. 

''  The  next  morning,  Hans  said  to  me, 
'Steve,'  said  he,  'I  don't  thank  you  a 
Ut  for  making  such  a  fool  of  the  boy 
when  his  breeches  burst ;  it  was  a  breach 
of  hospitality.' 

"  •  Then  there  is  »  pair  of  breeches,' 
says  I.  '  Give  them  to  the  boy,  for  he 
wants  them,  I  tell  you.  Hans,'  says  I, 
'DO  nonsense,  now.  I  have  a  great  re- 
gard for  your  father,  for  he  is  an  old 
ind  tried  friend  of  mine ;  and  I  have 
a  great  regard  for  you  too,  for  there  is 
worse  fellows  going  than  you  be ;  but 
m  have  made  a  grand  mistake,  my 
boy.  You  ain't  a  fit  husband  for  a 
town-bred  girl,  for  you  hante  nothing  in 
common  with  her  ;  and  she  can  no  more 
play  her  part  on  a  farm  than  a  cat  can 
play  a  fiddle.' 

Mind  your  own  business,'  says  he, 
Its  short  and  as  snappish  as  you  please ; 
I' I  don't  want  none  of  your  impedence.' 

"'Don't  talk  foolish,  Hans,' eaid  I, 
rnow ;  rectify  the  mistake.  Don't  snub 
|her,for  it  ain't  her  fault  she  don't  know 
Ibout  dairies,  and  looms,  and  them 
pings,  a  bit  more  than  it  is  yours.  You 
jion't  know  a  play  from  a  circus,  for 
Jteither  of  you  had  the  broughtens  up. 
INow,  when  she  wants  to  go  home,  take 
jher  there,  and  stay  with  her  awhile,  and 
fhe'U  lam.     When  a  woman's  married, 

ad  returns  to  her  father's  house,  she 
Jlou  t  find  her  own  place  again  very  easy ;, 
re  tired,  miss,  anwd  if  she  does,  it  don't  fit  as  it  used  to 


did.  And  don't  flare  up  at  what  I  am 
going  to  say,  for  it's  for  your  good. 
Your  country  ways  and  country  talk 
will  kind  of  mortify  her ;  and  she'll  miss 
the  notice  she  got  from  the  men  when 
she  was  single,  and  she'll  want  to  get 
back  again  to  Clements ;  and  here  she'll 
be  proud  of  you,  for  you're  the  likeliest  .. 
looking  fellow  in  these  parts  by  a  long 
chalk ;  and  women  do  like  a  fancy  man, 
that's  a  fact.  Critters  that's  bad  broke, 
like  town  galls,  must  be  onbroke  agin, 
and  handled  gently  and  patiently,  or 
they  are  ruined  for  ever.  Be  easy,  there- 
fore, with  her,  and  she'll  be  all  right 
arter  awhile,  for  she  ain't  wanting  in  tho 
upper  story.'     They  are  both  cured." 

"Well,  I  am  glad  you  succeeded," 
said  Miss  Lucy,  "but  I  can't  say  I  take 
any  interest  in  them.  Now  tell  me 
Luke's  story." 

«  That  little  brother  of  yours,"  he 
continued,  "  that  you  are  so  severe  with, 
is  a  beautiful  boy  ;  I  like  him  because 
he  looks  so  much  like  you,  dear.  Now, 
what  he  did  was  nothing  to  what  Hans' 
little  boy  did,  for  Hans  has  a  family 
now." 

"  0,  the  deuce  take  Hans'  boy,"  said 
Miss  Lucy,  impatiently  ;  "  I  don't  care 
a  button  about  what  Hans  or  his  boy 
either,  tell  me  about  poor  Luke." 

"  Well,  as  I  was  a-telling  of  you,"  said 
the  incorrigible  talker,  "they  were  cured, 
but  Hans'  wl'e  ran  to  the  opposite  ex- 
treme.  It's  oftentimes  the  case  a'most 
with  women  that  dress  so  fine  for  the 
streets,  and  so  flash  .^r  parties,  that 
they  ain't  ginirally  tidy  to  home ;  it's 
all  show.  T/iei/  go  ovi  butterflies  and 
return  grubs.  She  is  a  slattern  now, 
and'  looks  like  a  bird  that's  hatching 
eggA.  The  plumage  is  all  soiled,  and 
the  colors  faded,  and  half  the  feathers 
gone,  and  them  that's  left  look  every 
way  but  smooth ;  they  hante  time  to  go 
to  the  pond,  wash,  and  pass  their  bills 
through  their  wings  and  breasts.  1 
thought  I  should  have  died  a-laughing 
the  other  day.  I  went  to  Hans'  house 
with  Lawyer  Jackson,  who  was  canvass- 
ing for  election,  and  Hans  called  hid 
wife  in.  Just  afore  she  came  down 
stairs  (for  she  ain't  never  fit  to  appear), 


«•'*'•:: 


f^ 


106 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


r% 


t.,-'i« 


i.i 


*  Ann,'  said  sho  to  the  servant  girl,  'does 
that  hole  in  my  stookine  show  ?  will  the 
lawyer  see  it,  do  you  think  T' 

"  •  No,'  says  Ann,  *  I  guess  not ;'  for 
she  was  too  tarnel  lazy  to  go  and  get 
another  pair. 

"  Well,  in  she  walks,  and  her  little 
boy  with  her,  that  she's  amazing  proud 
of,  he  is  so  uncommon  handsome.  Well, 
the  critter  heard  all  the  talk  with  the 
help,  and  he  follows  his  mother  all  about 
the  room  wherever  she  went,  a-looking 
down  to  her  feet,  and  a-peeping  first  at 
one  and  then  at  the  other  of  them  :  at 
last  he  said, 

"  '  Mother,'  said  he, '  that  hole  in  the 
heel  of  your  stocking  don't  show  a  bit ; 
nobody  can  see  it ;  you  needn't  mind  it' 

"  Poor  little  fdllow,  she  sarved  him  as 
you  did  that  nice  little  brother  of  yours, 
she  just  walked  him  out  of  the  room.  I 
am  very  fond  of  young  people  of  that  age, 
they  are  so  innocent,  and  so  full  of  natur 
and  of  truth." 

"  Well,  I  wish  there  was  more  truth 
in  you,  then,"  said  Miss  Lucy.  "  You 
promised  to  tell  me  the  story  of  Luke, 
and  low  you  won't ;  that's  not  fair." 

Bvt  on  he  went  as  usual,  without  no- 
lioinif  her  request. 

"They  are  so  transparent  you  can 
see  what's  operating  in  their  minds,  and 
what  they  are  at  work  at,  as  plain  as 
bees  in  a  glass  hive.  Now,  there  is  my 
little  boy  Isaac — Ike,  as  we  call  him — 
he  made  us  all  laugh  like  any  thing  the 
other  day." 

"  Well,  I  dare  say  he  did,"  replied  the 
young  lady ;  '•  and  I  have  no  doubt  he 
IS  as  clever  and  as  cute  as  his  father  ; 
but  what  has  that  got  to  do  with  the 
fishing  law  ?" 

"  Let  me  tell  you  this  story,"  said 
Stephen,  "  and  I  am  done.  Ike  always 
had  a  wonderful  curiosity  to  see  his 
great-grandfather,  old  Squire  Sim  Wea- 
xel,  of  Wilmot,  that  he  often  heard  the 
family  talk  of,  but  who  hadn't  been  to 
our  house  for  some  years.  One  day 
the  old  gentleman  came  to  visit  us,  ana 
we  sent  to  the  school-house  to  the  mas- 
ter to  give  the  boy  a  holiday,  seeing 
that  the  old  squire  had  arrived.  Well, 
Ike  he  pulled  foot  for  home,  you  may 


depend,  as  hard  as  ever  he  could  la/ 
leg  to  the  ground,  and  when  he  came 
into  the  room  the  old  gentleman  got  up 
and  held  out  his  hands  to  him. 

"  *  Gome  here,'  said  he, '  my  dear,  and 
shake  hands  along  with  your  great- 
grandfather.' 

" '  I  won't !'  says  Ike. 

" '  You  won't !'  says  squire. 

" '  No,'  says  he, '  I  won't !  you  are  not 
a-going  to  make  a  fool  of  me  that  way, 
I  can  tell  you.  You  ain't  the  right 
man.' 

" '  But  I  am  the  right  man,'  said  the 
old  gentleman. 

'"  I  don't  believe  it,'  replied  ike. 

" '  Why  not,  my  little  do^r  ?'  said  he; 
'  why  do  you  suppose  I  ain't  ?' 

" '  A  pretty  ^-reai-grandfather  yon 
be,'  said  Ike,  'aint  you?  Why,  you 
ain't  half  as  big  as  father ;  and  as  for 
grandfather,  you  ain't  knee  high  to 
him.  Great-gf andfather !  eh  ?  why,  the; 
might  as  well  call  me  one.'  And  off  he 
turned  and  went  right  away  back  to 
school  agin,  as  cross  as  a  bear." 

"  Capital !"  said  Miss  Lucy,  who 
wished  to  conciliate  Biohardson ;  "  that's 
a  capital  story ;  it's  the  best  you  have 
told  yet.  And  now,  Mr.  Stephen, 
there  is  just  one  favor  I  have  to  ask  of 
you." 

"Granted  before  told,"  he  replied, 
"  Any  thing  oftder  the  sun  I  can  do  for 
you,  miss,  either  by  day  or  by  night,  I 
am  ready  to  do;  I  only  wish  we  had 
plenty  more  of  such  well  broughten  up 
excellent  housekeepers  as  you  be,  a 
Buoh  rael  right  down  hand  " 

"  Now,  don't  talk  nonsense,"  she  said, 
"  or  I  am  done.  But  just  tell  me,  that's 
a  good  soul,  is  that  story  of  yours  about 
Luke  Loon  true,  or  were  you  only 
romancing  ?  is  it  a  bam  or  S,  fact  ?" 

"Fact,  miss,  and  no  mistake.  Do 
you  think,  now.  I  would  go  for  to 
deceive  you  that  way  ?  No,  not  for  the 
world.     It's  as  true  as  I  am  hpre" 

"  Well,  it's  a  very  odd  story,  then 
said  Miss  Lucy — "  the  oddest  story  I 
ever  heard  in  all  my  life.  What  i 
wretch  that  woman  must  have  been! 
And  poor  Luke,  what  became  of  him  V 

"  0,  don't  ask  me,"  replied  Stephen, 


jj" 


up  an 
himself 
before 
there  b( 
ittothf 


n't !  you  are  not 


t  man,'  said  tbe 


ne.'     And  oflF  he 


A  CHASE  FOR  A  WIFE. 


167 


with  a  serious  air — "don't  ask  mo 
(hat;  any  thing  else  but  that." 

"Ah,  do!" 

"  I'd  rather  not,  excuse  me,  miss." 

"  Did  he  die  of  a  broken  heart  ?" 

"  Worse  than  that." 

"  Did  he  make  way  with  himself?" 

"  Worse  than  that." 

"  Get  desperate,  do  something  awful, 
ud  get  hanged  for  it  ?" 

"  Worse  than  that" 

"0  my !  didn't  you  say  just  now 
rou'd  do  any  thing  for  me — 0 !  you 
false  man  ?  And  now  you  have  raised 
my  curiosity  so,  I  actilly  can't  go  to 
sleep  till  I  hear  it.  Do  you  know  the 
Btory,  Mr.  Barclay?" 

"  No  ;  if  I  did,  I  would  tell  it  to  you 
with  pleasure." 

"  Do  you,  sir?"  applying  to  the  com- 
missary. 

"  No,  I  never  heard  it." 

"  Is  there  no  one  knows  it  ?  0,  how 
stupid  of  you,  Mr.  Stephen,  to  tease  a 

body  so !     You  might,  now Come, 

that's  a  dear  man,  do  tell  me !" 

"  My  dear  friend,"  said  Stephen,  with 
a  sad  and  melancholy  air,  "  it's  a  dis- 
mal, shocking  story ;  and  I  can't  bear 
to  think  of  it,  much  less  to  talk  of  it. 
You  won't  sleep  to  night,  if  I  tell  it  to 
you,  neither  shall  I ;  and  I  know  you 
will  wish  I  had  let  it  alone.  It  was  an 
untimely  thing." 

"What?" 

«  The  end  of  poor  Luke !" 

«  Then  he  is  dead— is  he  ?" 

"  I  didn't  say  he  was  dead." 

'Ah,  Mr.  Stephen,"  she  said,  "don't 
tease,  now,  that's  a  good  man!"  and 
she  rose  up,  and  stood  behind  his  chair, 
and  patted  his  cheek  with  her  hand 
coaxiugly.  "  I'll  do  any  thing  in  the 
world  for  you,  if  you  will  tell  me  that 
story." 

'•  Well,"  said  Stephen,  "  I  give  in  ; 
if  I  must,  I  suppose  I  mas+ :  but,  mind, 
I  warned  you  beforehand!" 

And  then,  looking  round,  and  taking 
up  an  empty  decanter,  as  if  to  help 
himself  to  some  brandy  and  water 
before  he  began,  he  aflfected  surprise  at 
there  being  nothing  iti  it,  and,  handing 
it  to  the  young  hostess,  said — 


"  I  must  have  the  matter  of  half-ar 
pint  of  mohogony  to  get  through  that 
dismal  affair." 

'•  Certainly,  certainly ;  any  thing  you 
please  I"  said  Miss  Lucy,  who  immedi- 
ately proceeded  to  the  bar,  situated  in 
the  other  part  of  the  house,  to  pro- 
cure it. 

As  soon  as  she  left  the  room,  Ste- 
phen looked  up  and  laughed,  saying — 

"  Didn't  I  manage  that  well?  They 
are  very  strict  people  here  about  hours, 
and  nothing  in  the  world  will  tempt 
them  to  open  the  bar  after  twelve  at 
night.  That  is  one  of  the  rules  she 
never  breaks,  she  says ;  but  I  told  her 
I'd  make  her  do  it,  and  I  have  succeed- 
ed unbeknown  to  her.  I  never  saw  it 
fail  yet :  pique  a  woman's  curiosity,  and 
she'll  unlock  her  door,  her  purse,  her 
heart,  or  any  thing,  for  you.  They 
can't  stand  it.  In  fact,  it  ain't  a  bad 
story,  but  it's  too  long  to  get  through 

without  moistening  one's  lips. Ah, 

miss,  there  is  no  resisting  you !"  he  con- 
tinued, as  the  young  lady  returned. 

"  No  resisting  the  brandy  and  water, 
you  mean  !"  retorted  Miss  Lucy.  "  I 
believe,  in  my  soul,  you  did  it  a-purpos9 
to  make  me  break  rules ;  but,  come,  be- 
gin now." 

"  Well,  here's  my  service  to  you,  miss, 
and  your  very  good  health !  Now,  poor 
Luke  Loon,  arter  his  wife  ginn  him  the 
dodge  (like  all  other  water-fowl  when 
they  are  scared  out  of  one  harbor  light 
in  anotlier),  made  for  snug  cove  in  Mio- 
mac  Bay,  where  there  is  a'most  a  grand 
mackerel  fishery.  At  the  head  of  the 
cove  there  lived  one  old  Marm  Bowers, 
a  widow  woman,  with  whom  Luke  went 
to  board.  Poor  crittur !  he  was  very 
dull  and  downhearted,  for  he  was  raily 
wery  fond  of  the  gall;  and,  besides, 
when  a  man  is  desartcd  that  way,  it's  a 
kind  of  slight  put  on  him  that  nobody 
likes  " 

"  I  guess  not,"  said  Miss  Lucy ;  "  but 
he  was  well  rid  of  that  horrid  wrotoh." 

"  People  kind  of  look  at  him  and 
whisper,  and  say, '  That's  Luke  Loon-~ 
him  that  big  Tom  Bullock  cut  out!' 
And  then  sarcy  people  are  apt  to  throw 
such  misfortunes  into  a  man's  face     It. 


>.  .Mil  \«\ 
tr 


'i»^'' 


"1» 


-t 


(.  V.   I 


168 


THE  OLD  JUDGES  OR,  LIFB  IN  A  OOLONY. 


'A 


ain't  pleasant,  I  don't  suppose.  Well, 
Luke  said  nothing  to  any  Dody,  minded 
his  own  business,  and  was  getting  on 
well,  and  laying  by  money  hand  over 
hand,  for  he  was  a  great  fisherman,  and 
ondersiood  the  Yankee  mode  of  feeding 
and  enticing  mackerel.  Every  body 
liked  him,  and  Mother  Bowers  pitied 
him,  and  was  very  kind  to  him.  The 
old  woman  had  three  daughters;  two 
on  them  were  nothing  to  brag  on,  quite 

common-looking  heifers  " 

"Why,  Mr.  Stephen,"  interposed 
Miss  Lucy,  "  what  kind  of  a  word  is 
that?" 


"  But  the  other—that  is,  the  young- 
little 
beauty,  you  may  depend!      She  wag 


est — was  a  doll.     0,  she  was  a  little 


generally  allowed  to  be  the  handsomest 
gall  out  of  sight  on  the  whole  coast,  far 
and  near,  by  high  and  low,  black  or 
white,  rich  or  poor.  But  that  wa'nt 
all ;  perhaps,  there  never  was  one  that 
was  BO  active  on  her  pins  as  she  was. 
She  could  put  her  hands  on  the  highest 
fence  (that  is,  any  thing  she  could 
reach),  and  go  sideways  over  it  like  any 
thing ;  or  step  back  a  few  paces,  hold 
up  her  little  petticoats  to  her  knees,  and 
clear  it  like  a  bird.  Stumps,  gates, 
brooks,  hillocks,  nor  hollows,  never  stopt 
her.  She  scarcely  seemed  to  touch  the 
ground,  she  was  so  light  of  foot.  When 
she  was  a  half-grown  gall,  she  used  to 
run  young  men  across  the  field  as  the 
crow  flies  for  a  dollar  or  a  pound  of  tea 
agin  a  kiss,  and  she  kept  up  the  prac- 
tice after  she  had  grown  up  a  young 
woman ;  but  she  raised  her  price  to  two 
dollars,  so  as  not  to  be  challenged  too 
often.  Many  a  young  man,  in  foUer- 
ing  her  over  a  fence,  has  fell,  and 
sprained  his  ankle,  or  put  his  shoulder 
out,  or  nearly  broke  his  neck ;  while 
she  was  never  knovh  to  trip,  or  to  be 
caught  and  kissed  by  no  one." 

"  Well,  well,"  said  Miss  Lucy,  "what 
carryings  ons !  What  broughtens  up  I 
What  next,  I  wonder !" 

"Well,  Luke,  though  he  wam't  so 
large,  or  so  tall,  bony,  and  strong,  as 
Tom  Bullock,  was  a  withy,  wirey,  active 
man — few  like  him  any  where ;  wrest- 
ling, running,  rowing,  jumping,  or  shin- 


niug  np  rigging ;  and  he  thought  he'd 
have  ft  trial  with  8ally  Bowers,  for  a 
kiss  or  ft  forfeit," 

•  "Ho  Meniii  to  have  cot  over  bis 
tfbublee  very  ewy.  I  thitk."  said  Miss 
Lucy,  "to  begin  roolng  so  soon  with 
that  forward,  laroy  gall.  Don't  you 
think  so  7" 

"Tell  you  what,  miss,"  he  replied, 
"  man  was  never  mado  to  live  alone,  asii 
shown  by  hifi  being  ablo  to  talk,  which  no 
other  animal  i«,  and  that  is  a  proof  kc 
must  have  a  wonmo  to  talk  to.  A  man'i 
heart  ii  a  cage  for  lore  ;  and,  if  one  love 
gives  him  the  dodge,  ttiero's  the  cage, 
and  the  perch,  and  tlio  bard,  and  the 
water-gloNi,  all  so  lonely  and  desolate, 
be  mast  get  another  love  and  put  into 
it.  And.  therefore,  it  was  natural  for 
Luke  to  feel  all'Ovef'like  when  he  looked 
upon  sueb  a  little  fairy  as  Sally." 

"  Poob  I"  wid  Miss  Lucy.   "  Go  on !" 

"'So,'  iftyg  be,  'mother,'  sais  he, 
'  bere'g  (be  money :  I  should  like  to  run 
Sally ;  I  kind  or  oonsait  I  can  go  it  ai 
fast  ai  she  ean,  although  she  is  a  clink- 
er-built erftft,' 

" '  Nonienie,  Luke,'  she  said ;  '  voa 
are  no  touoU  to  a  fore-and-after  like 
Sally.  Don't  be  foolish  ;  I  don't  want 
vour  monev.  Here,  take  it !  You  have 
lost  enough  already,  poor  fellow,  with* 
out  losing  your  money  t" 

"  That  kind  of  griggod  Luke,  f-  i 
one  likei  to  have  mishaps  cast  up  tuat 
way,  even  in  pity, 

" '  What  will  you  bet  I  don't  catoh 
her  V  layii  be, 

" '  I'll  bet  you  a  pound,'  said  she 

'  No  I  won't,  either,  cause  it's  only  a 
robbing  ^  you ;  but  Sallv  shall  give  you 
a  chance,  at  any  rate,  if  it's  only  to  take 
the  ooniait  out  of  you.' 

"  So  ghe  called  in  her  darter. 

"  Sally,'  gayg  ilte, '  Luke  is  toasing  mo 
to  let  bim  run  a  raee  of  kiss  or  forfeit 
with  you-' 

«'  •  Wbo-yott  T'  laid  she. 

" '  Yeg,  me  I'  said  Luke. 

" '  Why,  you  don't  mean  to  r^ay  you 
have  the  vanity  to  run  mo,  do  you  V 

" « I  do,  though,' 

"  She  made  a  spring  right  up  an  eend, 
till  her  head  (oueued  tho  coiling  aaaost, 


A  CHASt:  FOR  A  WIFE. 


169 


I  don't  oatoh 


jttino  down  with  one  foot  out  a  good 
piece  afore  the  other,  and  one  arm 
alcimho ;  then,  stooping  forward,  and 
pointing  with  the  other  close  into  his 
taoo — 

« *  You  !'  she  said—*  you !  Well,  if 
that  don't  pass !  I  wonder  who  will 
challenge  me  next !  Why,  man  alive,  I 
could  jump  over  your  head  sO  high  you 
couldn't  tou»ih  nry  foot !  But,  here's  at 
you,  at  any  ^  .te.  I'll  go  and  shoe,  and 
will  soon  make  you  look  foolish,  I  know.* 

"■V/fcll,  she  took  the  twenty  yards' 
start  which  she  always  had,  and  off  they 
sot,  and  she  beat  him  all  haller,  and 
would  haul  up  now  and  then,  turn  round, 
and  step  backward,  with  short,  quick, 
light  steps,  a-tiptoe,  and  beckon  him 
with  her  band,  and  say, '  Don't  you  hope 
you  may  ketch  me  ?  Do  I  swim  too  fast 
for  you,  my  young  blowing  porpoise  V 
And  then  point  her  finger  at  him,  and 
laugh  like  any  thing,  and  round  agin, 
and  off  like  the  wind,  and  over  a  fence 
like  a  greyhound.*  Luke  never  said  a 
word,  but  kept  steadily  on,  so  as  to  save 
hi?  wind  (for  it  warn't  the  first  time 
he  had  run  foot-races) ;  and  at  last 
he  began  to  gain  on  her  by  main 
Btrength.  Away  she  flew,  when  she 
found  that,  over  stump  land,  wild  pas- 
ture, windfalls,  and  every  thing,  turned 
it  the  goal-tree,  and  pulled  foot  for  home 
for  dear  life.  Luke  reached  the  tree 
soon  after,  and  then  came  the  tug  of  the 
race ;  but  he  had  the  endurance  and  the 
wind,  and  overhauled  her  as  she  ascend- 
ed the  hill  behind  the  house,  and  caught 
her  just  as  she  was  falling.  She  was 
regularly  beat  out,  and  panted  like  a 
hare,  and  lay  in  his  arms,  with  her  head 

•  Strange  as  this  nnecdote  of  the  foot-rrfce  may 
•eem,  it  is,  nevertheless,  true,  and  occurred  with- 
in the  remembrance  of  the  author : — 

"  Non  fitliula  rumor 
lUe  fuit "' 

The  classical  reader  will  be  forcibly  struck  with 
Ills  resemblance  to  the  story  of  Atalanta,  as  told 
I  by  Ovid:— 

'  Forsitan  audieris  aliquam  certamine  cursus 
Veloeeg  superass^e  virus        •  .  « 

'      •  Nee  sum  potiunda  nisi,  Inqult 

Veda  prms  ciirsu.    Pudibus  contcndile  mecum. 
Prsmia  veloci  corynx,  thalamique  dabuntur.' 
Mora  prntium  tardis.    Ea  lex  certamines  esto." 
Well  may  it  be  said  that  there  is  nothing  new 
lindertheRun. 


on  his  shoulder  and  her  eyes  shut,  al- 
most insensible. 

" '  Sally,  dear  I'  said  he  ;  and  he  kiss* 
ed  her,  but  she  didn't  speak. 

«  «  Dear  Sally !  0,  what  shall  I  do  ?' 
and  he  kissed  her  again  and  again. 

" '  Speak,  for  Heaven's  sake,  dear,  or 
you  will  break  my  heart  I  0,  what  an 
unfortunate  man  I  be  I' 

"  At  last,  she  kind  of  woke  up. 

'<  <  Luke,'  said  she, '  don't  tell  mother 
that  yuu  caught  me,  that's  a  good  soul  I 
There,  now !' — and  she  put  her  arms 
round  his  neck  and  kissed  him — '  there, 
now,  is  your  forfeit !  I've  come  to, 
now  ;  let  me  go :  and  do  you  follow,  but 
don't  push  me  too  hard,  for  I'm  fairly 
blown,'  and  she  took  over  the  hill,  and 
he  after  her  at  a  considerable  distance. 

"  When  they  got  back,  said  old  Mo- 
ther Bowers — 

'"Didn't  I  tell  you  so,  Luke  I  I 
knowed  yo'i  couldn't  do  it:  no  man 
ever  did  it  yet !  I  hope  you  feel  easier, 
now  your  comb  is  cut.  Here's  your 
forfeit,  I  don't  want  it !  But  this  I  will 
say,  you  have  made  a  great  run  for  it, 
at  any  rate — the  best  I  ever  see  any  one 
make  yet !' 

« «  Who  ?'  said  Sally.  '  Do  you  mean 
him  V  and  she  sprung  up  as  before,  and, 
coming  down  the  same  way  on  her  feet, 
and  pointing  at  him  with  her  fingers, 
jeering  like,  said, '  Who  ? — him  ! — him ! 
— why  the  clumsy  lumokin  feller  don't 
know  how  even  to  begin  to  run !  I  hope 
you  feel  better,  sir  V 

'"Well,  I  do,'  said  Luke,  'that's  a 
fact ;  and  I  should  like  to  run  you  agin, 
for  I  have  an  idea  next  time  I  could 
catch  you  in  rail  airnest !' 

"  '  You  do,  do  you  V  said  she  ;  '  then 
your  '  like'  is  all  you  are  likely  to  get, 
for  I  never  run  any  one  twict!' 

"  0  my !"  s»id  Miss  Lucy,  "  what  an 
artful,  false  girl !  Well,  I  never !  But 
is  that  all  ?  Is  that  what  you  call  such 
a  dismal  story  ?" 

"  0,  I  wish  it  was !"  said  Stephen 
"  The  other  is  the  end,  but  this  is  the 
beginning.  I'll  tell  you  the  next  to- 
morrow, it's  getting  late  now.  Don't 
press  me,  my  little  rose-bud,  it's  really 
too  sad." 


\ 


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1'.       I 


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17) 


THE  OLD  JUDOE;  OR,  LIFE  IN   A  COLONY. 


ti 


;fl 


■^.   f 


"  Ah,  now,  you  promiaed  me,"  she  re- 

8 lied,  "nti'i  it's  80  diifurent  from  any 
ilug  I   ovur  hoard   before !    Ah,  do, 
that'it  A  good  man  I" 

"  It'fi  too  Ions  s  story,  it  will  take  all 
ulgbt!" 

*'  I  dun't  cnro  if  it  docs  take  all  night, 
1  want  to  huar  the  cud  of  it  I" 

"Well,  tlion,    I  am   afraid    I   must 
trouhlu  you  again,  miss,"  handing  her 


the  «««nty  ducantcr,  'for  I've  drank  it 
M  boiuro  I'vo  got  to  the  part  that 
tOUohoM  tho  heart!" 

"Ah,  Mr.  Stephen,"  she  replied, 
"I'll  got  it  for  you,  though  I  know  you 
kro  ttmking  game  of  mo  uU  the  time ; 
but  if  you  are.  I'll  be  upsides  with  you 
SOiao  of  those  days,  see  if  I  don't !  what 
in  awful  man  to  drink  you  are !"  she 
•Aid,  tts  she  returned  with  the  liquor. 
"  H«ro  it  is  ;  now  go  on." 

"  Well,  arter  the  race,  Luke  felt  a 
kind  of  nifuction  for  the  young  gall,  and 
ibo  for  him.  I  guess  they  liked  the 
flftfor  of  them  are  kisses  " 

^  Ain't  you  ashamed  to  talk  that 
way?"  asked  Mi.«fs  Lucy. 

**  And  he  proposed  to  the  old  woman 
to  marry  her,  but  she  wouldn't  bear  to 
i(  at  no  rate.  Women  don't  much  care 
to  bavo  a  jilted  man  that  way  for  their 
darters  ;  oast-olT  things  ain't  like  new, 
and  iccond-hand  articles  ain't  prised  in 
a  general  way ;  and  besides,  the  old 
lad^  was  kind  of  proud  of  her  girl,  and 
tbottght  she  might  make  a  better  match 
tban  taking  up  with  the  likes  of  him. 
At  lost  winter  came,  and  things  were 
going  on  in  this  dissatisfactory  kind  of 
wav,  when  a  thought  struck  Luke. 
Sally  was  a'most  a  beautiful  skater. 
Hbe  oould  go  the  outside  edge,  out  cir- 
cles one  instde  the  other,  write  her 
name,  and  the  figures  of  the  year,  and 
ttseouto  all  sorts  of  things  on  the  ice 
with  her  skates  ;  and  Luke  proposed  to 
run  ber  that  way  for  marriage,  or  twen- 
ty pounds  forfeit  if  he  didn't  catch  her. 
It  Wtts  a  long  time  before  the  old  woman 
would  consent ;  I  it  at  last,  seeing  that 
Sally  had  beat  him  so  easy  afoot,  she 
course,  she  could  out-skate 


knowod,  in 


bitn  ofl  tho  ice  like  nothing  ;  and,  therc- 
foro,  she  gave  in,  on  condition  that  Luke, 


if  he  was  beat,  should  clear  out  and 
leave  tlie  Cove ;  and,  as  lie  couldn't,  get 
no  better  terms,  he  agrood  to  it,  and  the 
day  was  fixed  and  arrangements  made 
for  the  race,  and  the  folk.s  came  from  tax 
ai)d  near  to  see  it.  Son.o  backed  Sally 
and  bet  on  her,  and  some  backed  Luke 
and  betted  on  him,  bul:  most  people 
wished  him  to  win  ;  and  there  never 
was,  perhaps,  a  horse-race,  or  footrace, 
or  boat-race,  or  any  thing  excited  and 
interested  folks  like  this  '  liacu  foi  a 
Wife ' 

"  The  Cove  was  all  froze  over  with 
beautiful  glassy  ice,  and  the  day  was 
fine  and  the  company  assembled,  and  out 
came  the  two  racers.  Sally  was  dressed 
in  long  cloth  pantalets,  only  covered  by 
her  skirt  as  far  as  the  knees,  so  as  to 
admit  of  a  free  use  of  her  limbs,  and  a 
close  fitting  body  with  narrow  sleeves, 
and  wOre  a  black  fur  cap  on  her  head. 
Luke  bad  on  a  pair  of  seamen's  trou- 
sers, belted  tight  round  the  waist,  and  a 
loose  striped  Guernsey  shirt,  open  at  the 
neck,  and  a  knowing  little  seal-skin  cap, 
worn  jauntingly  a  one  side.  It  ain't 
often  you  see  such  a  handsome  couple,  I 
can  toll  yon.  Before  *  Sally  left  the 
house,  her  mother  called  her  a  one  side, 
and  said — 

" '  Sally,  dear,   do  your  best,  now, 
that's  a  good  gall ;  if  you  get  beat,  peo- 
ple will  say  you  let  him  do  it  a  purpose, 
and  that  ain't  womanly.    If  such  a  thing 
was  to  be  that  you  had  to  marry  him 
(and  would  be  so  mean  as  to  take  up 
with  another  woman's  leavings),  marry 
him  conquering,  and  not  beaten.     It's  | 
a  good  thing  to  .  teach  a  man  that  the  I 
grey  mare  is  the  better  horse.     Take  the  | 
conceit  out  of  him,  dear !" 

" '  Never  fear,  mother,'  said  she ;  '  I'll 
lead  him  a  dance  that  goes  so  fast  he  I 
wo'nt  know  the  tune  he  is  keeping  step  | 
to,  I  know.' 

"Well  thiMT  walked  hand  in  hand  I 
down  to  the  (Jove,  and  the  folks  cheered 
them  again  and  again  when  they  arrived  I 
on  the  ice.  After  fitting  on  their  skates,! 
they  slowly  skimmed  about  the  Cover 
showing  off,  cutting  all  sorts  of  feats,  of  I 
shines,  evolutions,  and  didoes,  and  whati 
not;   when  they  come  together  agaial 


A  CHASE  FOR  A  WIPE. 


in 


;loar  out  and 
fl  couldn't,  ge; 
1  to  it,  and  the 
gcmonts  made 
camo  from  r'ar 

0  backed  Sally 
3  backed  Luke 
:  most  people 
,d  there  never 
0,  or  footrace, 
g  excited  and 
is  '  Raco  foi  a 

froze  over  with 

1  the  day  was 
jmbled,  and  out 
illy  was  dressed 
snly  covered  by 

knees,  so  as  to 
er  limbs,  and  a 
narrow  sleeves, 
ap  on  her  head. 
'  seamen's  trou- 

the  waist,  and  a 

ihirt,  open  at  the 

tie  seal-skin  cap, 

side.     It  ain't 

idsome  couple,  I 

•  Sally  left  the 
d  her  a  one  side, 

your  best,  now, 
ou  get  beat,  peo 

I  do  it  a  purpose. 

If  such  a  thing 

ad  to  marry  him 

lan  as  to  take  np 

leavings),  marry 

lot  beaten.     It's 

a  man  that  the 
horse.     Take  the] 

ar!" 

ir,'said  she;  'H 

goes  so  fast  ho 

te  is  keeping  step 

i  hand  in   hand! 

the  folks  cheered  1 

when  they  arrived  I 

II  (r  on  their  skates,! 
"about  the  Cove, 

11  sorts  of  feats,  of  I 
didoes,  and  wh:itj 
together  agaial 


1 


tigbtebtfd  their  straps,  shook  hands,  and 
took  their  places,  twenty  yards  apart,' 
and,  at  the  sound  of  a  conch-shell,  off 
they  started,  like  two  streaks  of  light- 
ning. Perhaps  it  was  the  most  splendid 
thing  ever  seen  in  this  country.     Sally 

Elayed  him  off  beautifully,  and  would  let 
im  all  but  catch  her,  then  stop  short, 
double  on  him,  and  leave  him  ever  so 
far  behind.  Once  she  ran  right  round 
him,  so  near  as  to  be  able  to  lay  her 
little  balance-stick  across  hi.s  shoulders, 
whack !  with  all  her  might.  0,  what  a 
laugh  it  raised,  and  what  shouts  of  ap- 
plause, every  cutting  off  or  heading  of 
his  received,  or  sudden  pull  up,  sharp 
turn,  or  knowing  dodge  of  hern,  was 
welcomed  with  !     It  was  great  sport," 

"  Sport,  indeed !"  said  Miss  Lucy. 
"  I  never  heard  any  thing  so  degrading ; 
I  couldn't  have  believed  it  possible  that 
a  woman  would  make  a  show  of  herself 
that  vfajf  before  men,  and  in  such  an  on- 
decent  dres.s,  too !" 

"  The  Cove  fairly  rung  with  merri- 
ment. At  last  the  hour  for  the  race  was 
drawing  near  its  close  (for  it  was  agreed 
it  should  only  last  an  hour),  and  she  be- 
gan to  lead  him  off  as  far  as  possible,  so 
as  to  double  on  him,  and  make  a  dash 
for  the  shore,  and  was  saving  her  breath 
»nd  strength  for  the  last  rush,  when,  un- 
fortunately, she  got  unawares  into  what 
they  call  blistered  ice  (that  is,  a  kind  of 
rough  and  oneven  freezing  of  the  sur- 
face), tripped,  and  fell  at  full  length  on 
her  face  ;  and,  as  Luke  was  in  full  pur- 
suit, he  couldn't  stop  himself  in  time, 
and  fell  also  right  over  her. 

" '  She  is  mine !'  said  he  ;  '  I  have 
her !     Hurrah,  I  have  won !' " 

"  0  yes !"  said  Lucy,  "  it's  very  easy 
to  win  when  it's  all  arranged  beforehand. 
Do  you  j.-'etend  to  tell  me,  after  the 
race  in  the  field,  that  that  wasn't  done 
on  purpose  ?  I  don't  think  I  ever  heard 
tell  of  a  more  false,  bold,  artful  wo- 
man !" 

"  0,"  continued  Mr,  Stephen,  "  what 
a  cheer  of  praise  and  triumph  that  caus- 
ed !  It  rang  over  the  ice,  and  was  echoed 
back  by  the  woods,  and  was  so  loud  and 
dear  you  might  have  heard  it  clean  away 


out   to   sea,  as   far  as   the  lightbouM 
a'most !" 

"  And  this  is  your  dismal  story,  is  it?' 
said  the  young  hostess,  with  an  air  of 
disappointment. 

"  Such  a  waving  of  hats  and  throwing 
up  of  fur  caps,  was  never  seen ;  and 
when  people  had  done  cheering,  and  got 
their  beads  straight  again,  and  looked 
for  the  racers,  they  was  gone  " 

«  Gone  !"  said  Lucy.     "  Where  ?" 

"  To  heaven,  I  hope !"  said  Stephen. 

"  Why,  you  don't  mean  to  say  they 
were  lost,  do  you  V 

«  Yes,  I  do !" 

"  Drowned  ?" 

"  Yes,  drowned." 

"  What !  both  of  them  ?" 

"  Yes,  both  of  them." 

"  What,  did  they  go  through  the  ice  ?** 

"  Yes,  through  the  ice.  It  was  an  air- 
hole where  they  fell !" 

"  0  my,  how  awful !" 

"  I  told  you  so,  miss,"  said  Stephen, 
but  you  wouldn't  believe  me.  It  was 
awful,  that's  a  fact !" 

"  Dear  me !"  ejaculated  Lucy.  "  Only 
think  of  poor  Luke ;  he  was  a  misforta- 
nate  man,  sartainly !  Were  they  ever 
found  ?"' 

"  Yes,  when  the  ice  broke  up,  the  next 
eastwardly  gale,  they  floated  ashore, 
tightly  clasped  in  each  ether's  arms,  and 
were  buried  in  one  gra\e  and  in  one  cof- 
fin. It  was  the  largest  funeral  ever 
seen  in  them  parts ;  all  the  fishermen 
from  far  and  near  attended,  with  their 
wives  and  darters,  marching  two  and 
two ;  the  nien  all  dressed  in  their  blue 
trousers  and  check  shirts,  and  the  women 
in  their  gray  homespun  and  white  aprons. 
There  was  hardly  a  dry  eye  among  the 
whole  of  them.  It  was  a  most  affecting 
scene. 

"  When  the  service  was  over,  the  peo- 
ple subscribed  a  handsome  sum  on  the 
spot,  and  had  a  monument  put  up  there. 
It  stands  on  the  right  hand  of  the  gate 
as  you  go  into  the  churchyard  at  Snug 
Harbor.  The  schoolmaster  cut  their 
names  and  ages  on  the  stone,  and  also 
this  beautiful  inscription,  or  epigraph, 
or  whatever  it  is  called  : — 


]*..•, 


le 


^ 


172 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  J  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


M 


J. 


S 


•  nu  loving  nair  went  out  to  iknte, 
Broke  throuKn  the  ice  and  met  their  fate, 
And  now  iie  buried  near  this  gate ; 
Year,  eighteen  hundred  and  twenty-eight.'  " 

"  Dear  me,  how  very  awful !"  said 
Miss  Lucy.  "I  don't  think  I  shall 
sleep  to-night  for  thinkine  of  them  ;  and, 
if  I  do,  I  know  I  shall  dream  of  them. 
Still,  it's  a  pretty  story,  after  all.  It's 
out  of  the  common  way,  like.  What  a 
Btrange  history  Luke's  is  I  First,  losing 
his  wife  by  the  fishery-law,  tlfen  a  race 
on  foot  for  the  tea  or  a  forfeit,  and  at 
last  skating  for  a  wedding  on  a  grave  I 
I'ts  quite  a  romance  in  real  life,  isn't  it? 
But,  dear  me,  it's  one  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  as  I'm  alive!  Mr.  Barclay,  if 
you  will  see  to  the  fire,  please,  before 
you  go  to  bed,  that  it's  all  made  safe 
(for  we  are  great  cowards  about  fire 
here),  I  believe  I  will  bid  you  all  good 
night." 

"  It  ain't  quite  finished  yet,"  said  Ste- 
phen.  ''  There  was  another  young  lady." 

"Who?"  said  Miss  Lucv. 

"  A  far  handsomer  and  far  more  scn- 
lible  gall  than  Sally,  one  of  the  best 
brougnten  up  in  the  whole  country,  and 
one  tnat  would  be  a  fortin  to  a  man  that 
was  lucky  enough  to  get  her  for  a  wife." 

'*  Who  was  she,  and  where  did  she 
live  ?"  inquired  Lucy,  who  put  down 
her  candle,  and  awaited  the  reply. 

"To  at  home  with  her  own  folks," 
said  Stephen;  "and  an  excellent,  and 
comfortable,  and  happy  home  she  made 
it,  too.  It's  a  pity  Hans'  wife  hadn't 
seen  her  to  take  pattern  by  her." 

"Luke's,  you  mean,"  added  Lucy, 
"  if  she's  such  a  nonpareil." 

"  Yes,  and  Luke's,  too ;  though  Luke's 
wife  warn't  fit  to  hold  a  candle  to  her. 
They  hadn't  ought  to  be  mentioned  in 
the  same  day.  Nobody  that  ever  see 
her  that  didn't  love  her — old  or  young, 
gentle  or  simple,  married  or  single." 

''  She  was  no  great  shakes,  then,"  said 
the  young  hostess.  "  She  mtist  have 
been  a  great  flirt,  if  that  was  the  ease." 

"  Well,  she  warn't,  then ;  she  was  as 
modest,  and  honest,  and  well-conducted 
a  gall  as  you  ever  laid  your  eyes  on.  I 
only  wish  my  son,  who  is  to  man's  es- 
tate now,  had  her,  for  I  should  be  proud 
of  her  as  a  darter-in-Iaw    and  would 


give  them  a  farm,  and  stock  it  with  a 
complete  fit  out  of  jvcry  thing." 

"If  he's  like  his  father,"  said  Lucy, 
"  maybe  ho'd  be  a  hard  bargain  for  uK 
that.  Who  is  vour  sampler  tliat'a  sot 
off  with  such  colors,  and  wants  the  word 
'  Richardson  '  worked  on  it  ?" 

"  But  then  she  has  one  fault,"  con- 
tinued Stephen. 

"What's  that?  Perhaps  she's  ill. 
tempered,  for  many  beauties  are  so." 

"  No,  as  sweet-tempered  a  gall  as  ever 
you  see.     Guess  agin." 

"  Wo'nt  take  your  son,  maybe  ?" 

"  No ;  she  never  seed  him,  I  don't 
think ;  for,  if  she  did,  it's  my  notion 
her  heart  wouM  beat  like  a  town-clock  ; 
so  loud  you  could  hear  it  ever  so  far. 
Guess  agin." 

"  Oh  !  I  can't  guess  if  I  was  to  try 
till  to-morrow,  for  I  never  was  a  good 
hand  at  finding  out  riddles.  What  is  it  ?' 

"  She  is  a  leetle,  jist  a  lectio,  too  con- 
Halted,  and  is  as  inquisi^itv  as  old  Marm 
Eve  herself  She  says  she  has  rules 
that  can't  never  be  bended  nor  broken, 
on  no  account ;  but  yet  her  curiosity  is 
so  great,  she  will  break  the  best  regula* 
tion  she  has  ;  and  that  is,  not  to  open 
the  bar  arter  twelve  o'clock  at  uight 
more  than  once  the  same  evcuiug  to 
hear  a  good  story." 

"  Ah,  now,  Mr.  Stephen,"  said  the 
young  lady, "  that's  a  great  shame  I 
Only  to  think  I  should  be  such  a  goose 
as  to  be  took  in  so,  and  to  stand  here 
and  listen  to  all  that  nonsense  !  And 
then  being  made  such  a  goose  of  to  my 
face,  is  all  the  thanks  I  get  for  my  pains 
of  trying  to  please  the  like  of  you !  Well 
I  never !  I'll  be  even  with  you  yet  for 
that,  see  if  I  don't !    Good  night." 

"  One  word  more,  please,  miss.  Keep 
to  your  rules,  tl.y  are  all  capital  ones, 
and  I  was  only  joking  ;  but  I  must  add 
this  little  short  one  to  them.  Circum- 
stances alters  cases.  Good  night,  dear," 
and  he  got  up  and  opened  the  door  for 
her,  and  whispered  in  her  car, "  I  am  iu 
earnest  about  my  son  :  I  atn,  upon  my 
soul !  I'll  send  him  to  see  you.  Don't 
be  scorney,  now,  that's  a  darling  !" 

"  Do  get  away,"  she  replied,  and  don't 
tease  me !  Gentlemen,  I  wish  you  aU 
good  night !" 


A  PIPPIN;  OR,  SHEEPSKINS  AND  GARTERS. 


The  nest  morning,  Mr.  Stephen 
RiobardbOD,  having  left  his  horse  at 
Mount  Hope,  and  borrowed  a  pair  of 
snow-shoes  from  Neal,  set  out  on  foot 
for  Halifax.  At  parting,  he  shook  me 
cordially  by  the  han^,  and  invited  me 
to  visit  him,  either  during  the  following 
month  of  Marcli,  or  in  the  autumn,  or, 
what  he  considered  preferable,  at  both 
periods ;  for  then,  he  said,  he  could  in- 
struct me  how  to  hunt  moose  on  the 
snow  like  a  man,  or  to  stand  as  still  as 
a  stump,  call  them,  and  shoot  them  like 
•  boy. 

"I  should  like,"  he  said,  "to  have 
you  a  few  nights  in  a  camp  with  me,  to 
show  you  what  wood-life  is.  Hunting 
is  done  now  in  these  parts:  there  is 
only  a  few  of  us  old-fashioned  fellows 
that  know  any  thing  about  it.  Folks 
are  so  'tarnel  lazy,  they  wo'nt  go  any 
where  without  a  horse  to  carry  'em; 
and  so  delicate  and  tender,  they  can't 
sleep  any  where  but  in  a  feather-bed. 
We  do  know  how  to  raise  calves,  that's 
a  fact ;  but  as  for  raising  men,  we've 
lost  the  knack.  It's  a  melancholy  thing 
to  think  of  The  Irish  do  all  our  spade 
work ;  machinery  all  our  thrashing,  sow- 
ing, and  husking ;  and  gigs  and  wag- 
gons all  our  leg  work.  The  women  are 
no  good  neither.  They  are  all  as  soft 
as  dough.  There  ain't  a  rael,  hard, 
solid,  corn-fed  gall,  like  Miss  Lucy,  in 
the  country  any  where  a'most.  Mills 
do  all  their  carding,  and  spinning,  and 
weaving.  Th«y  have  no  occupation  left 
but  to  drink  tea  and  gossip;  and  the 
men  do  nothing  but  lounge  about  with 
their  hands  in  their  trousers'  pockets, 
and  talk  politics.    What  the  Irish  and 


machinery  don't  do  for  'em,  they  ex* 
pect  legislators  to  do.  They  aotilly 
think  the  sun  rises  in  the  Government- 
house,  and  sets  in  the  Province  build- 
ing. The  last  time  I  came  from  Hali- 
fax, all  the  idlers  in  the  bar-toom  of 
every  public-house  I  stopped  at  get 
round  me  in  a  circle.  'What's  the 
news,  Steve  ?'  says  they.  '  What's  our 
members  a-doing  of  for  us  V  I  had  one 
answer  for  them  all.  '  They  are  a-goine 
to  hire  a  nigger,'  says  I, '  to  hold  a  bowL 
and  an  Irishman  to  carry  a  ladle,  and 
feed  you  all  with  spoon-victuals,  for  you 
are  too  infernal  lazy  to  feed  yourselves.' 
They  didn't  axe  me  any  more  questions, 
you  may  depend.  No,  sir,  they  are  all 
good  for  nothing.  If  you  really  want 
to  see  forest  life,  come  to  me,  and  I'll 
show  you  how  to  walk  through  the 
woods,  and  over  windfalls,  swamps, 
brooks,  and  what  not,  as  straight  as  tne 
crow  flies.  Ah,  sir,  that's  the  sport  for 
a  man  !  And  it  takes  a  man  to  go 
through  it,  too,  that's  sartain.  When 
I  go  a  hunting,  I  don't  take  furious 
dogs  to  seize  a  critter  by  the  nose  and 
hold  him  while  I  shoot  him,  but  I  give 
him  a  chance  for  his  life,  and  run  him 
down  myself;  one  is  downright  mur- 
der, but  the  other  is  rael,  generous 
sport.  And  then,  at  night,  I'll  spin 
you  yarns  that  will  make  your  sides 
ache  with  laughter,  I  know.  Good  by, 
my  friend !  You  recollect  my  name : 
they  call  me  Steve  Richardson,  when 
I  am  to  home;  and  my  home  is  to 
Clements,  and  Clements  is  in  Annapo- 
lis county,  and  Annapolis  county  is  on 
the  south-west  side  of  the  Bay  of  Fun 
dy." 


»> 


>•«."•«  ^, 


V 


!»■' 


.ni 


*f 


,H 


1" 


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f 


74 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


'.^  si 


,«i 


'•  \ 


Aud  away  he  strode  over  the  untrod- 
den snow,  as  lightly  as  if  it  were  en- 
crusted with  ice. 

'•  That  is  a  very  extraordinary  fel- 
low," said  Barclay,  as  he  led  me  oflF  to 
the,  stables  to  look  at  his  horses.  •'  Not- 
withstanding all  the  nonsense  he  talks, 
he  is  a  most  industrious,  thrifty  man, 
and  his  farm  is  in  excellent  order,  and 
well,  though  not  scientifically,  worked. 
Wo  must  visit  him  in  the  autumn.  It 
would  be  madness  to  hunt  with  him  in 
winter ;  no  man  could  keep  pace  with 
him,  or  run  all  day  as  he  does  without 
talting ;  and  sleeping  on  the  snow,  when 
heated  by  a  long,  hard  chase,  is  at- 
tended with  great  danger  to  the  health. 
You  will  enjoy  it  better  in  his  descrip- 
tion, than  in  undergoing  the  fatigue  and 
exposure  yourself  He  has  some  capi- 
tal stories,  too,  that  are  worth  going  to 
Clements  to  hear." 

On  our  return  from  the  stables  we 
entered  the  bar-room,  to  ascertain  from 
the  teamsters  when  they  intended  to 
resume  their  journey,  and  to  consult 
them  upon  the  state  of  the  roads  It 
was  a  long,  narrow  apartment,  similar 
in  size  and  general  appearance  to  the 
keeping-room,  but  contained  no  furni- 
ture whatever,  except  a  table  and  a  few 
benches.  Across  one  end  of  it  was  a 
counter,  having  tumblers  and  wine- 
glasses upon  it,  behind  which  were 
casks  and  jars  holding  various  kinds 
of  liquors.  The  walls  were  covered 
with  printed  notices  of  auctions,  ad- 
vertisements of  quack  medicines,  and 
handbills  calling  public  meetings  for 
the  promotion  of  temperance  or  the 
organization  of  political  parties ;  while 
the  never-failing  wooden  clock  notified 
travellers  of  the  lapse  of  time,  or  of  the 
arrival  of  tliat  hour  of  mid-day  that  is 
always  welcomed  with  a  libation  of  rum 
and  water. 

The  room  was  nearly  full  of  people. 
Some  were  smoking,  others  drinking, 
and  a  few  were  putting  on  their  outer 
coats  and  preparing  to  leave  the  house. 
As  we  approached  the  door  we  heard  a 
person  saying,  in  a  very  loud  voice,  and 
with  very  rapid  utterance — 

'  I  tell  you  he  did — he  did — he  did  ! 


Yes,  he  can  trot  a  mile  in  two  minutes 
and  thirty  seconds ;  two  thirty  is  his 
exact  gauge,  sir." 

This  declaration  appeared  to  be  cot> 
tradicted,  for  it  was  re-asserted  as  bo- 
fore,  with  the  attestation  of  several  ex- 
traordinary slang  oaths 

"  I  tell  you  he  can — he  can — he  can  i 
What  will  you  bet  ?  Go  any  thing  yojj 
dare,  now !  What  will  you  lay  on  it  ? 
Say  something  worth  while.  Say  twenty 
pounds,  now !  I  stump  you,  if  you  dare, 
for  twenty  pounds !  You  are  brought 
to  a  hack,  are  you?  Then,  if  you 
darsn't,  don't  contradict  a  gentleman 
that  way  !" 

This  was  said  by  a  middle-sized  but 
remarkably  powerful  and  active  man,  of 
about  thirty  years  of  age.  He  was  stand- 
ing in  the  middle  of  the  room,  holding 
a  long  hunting-whip,  with  the  thong 
doubled  in  his  hand,  and  shaking  it  at 
the  person  with  whom  he  was  arguing. 
He  was  dressed  in  a  blanket-coat  that 
reached  to  his  knees,  cut  in  the  Indian 
fashion,  trimmed  with  red  cloth,  and 
bound  round  the  waist  by  a  belt  of  the 
same  color.  A  large  loose  pair  of  grey 
woollen  stockings  covered  his  boots  and 
trousers.  On  his  head  was  a  low-crown 
ed  fur  cap,  made  of  otter-skin,  from  the 
back  of  which  was  suspended  a  black 
tail,  four  or  five  inches  in  length.  His 
neck  was  enveloped  with  several  folds 
of  a  yarn  comforter,  similar  in  color  and 
appearance  to  his  sash.  A  long  iroa 
spur  strapped  on  his  left  heel  completed 
his  equipment.  His  countenance  (at 
loiist,  all  that  could  be  seen  of  it,  for  he 
wore  an  enormous  pair  of  untrimraod 
whiskers,  which  united  under  his  chin, 
and  protruded  over  his  neckcloth  and 
wrapping.s)  exhibited  a  singular  mixture 
of  firmness,  quickness  of  temper,  and 
good  nature  ;  while  his  briglit,  restless 
eye,  peculiar  forehead,  and  expressive 
mouth,  denoted  both  cunning  and  hu- 
mor. 

'■  Ah,"  said  Barclay,  as  soon  as  he  got 
a  glimpse  of  him,  "here»is  Master  Zeb 
Hunt !  He  is  what  our  friend  Stephen 
would  call  "  a  pippin,"  or  a  regular  -  bar- 
room bird."  He  is  a  drover  and  horse 
jockey,  and  lives  on  the  road,  aud  is  the 


two  minutes 
thirty  is  his 

•ed  to  be  con 
serted  as  ho- 
•f  several  ex- 
can — be  can ' 
ny  thing  you 
lu  lay  on  it  ? 
.  Say  twenty 
1,  if  you  dare, 
I  are  brought 
then,  if  you 
a  gentleman 

Idle-sized  but 
ictive  man,  of 
He  was  stand- 
roora,  holding 
th  the  thong 
.  shaking  it  at 

was  arguing, 
iket-coat  that 
in  the  Indian 
3d  cloth,  and 
J  a  belt  of  the 
e  pair  of  grey 

his  boots  and 
IS  a  low-crown 
skin,  from  the 
ended  a  black 
1  length.     His 

several  folds 
ir  in  color  and 
A  long  iron 
heel  completed 
mnteuance  (at 
en  of  it,  for  he 

of  untriniraed 
mder  his  chin, 

neckcloth  and 
iiguhir  mixture 
)f  temper,  and 
bright,  restless 
and  expressive 
nning  and  hu- 

I  soon  as  he  got 
•is  Master  Zeb 
friend  Stephen 
a  regular  "  bar- 
over  and  horse 
road,  and  is  the 


A  PIPPIN;  OR,  SHEEPSKINS  AND  GARTERS. 


175 


pest  of  every  tavern,  and  the  torment  of 
ftll  travellers,  for  he  talks  so  loud  he  can 
be  heard  all  over  the  house.  Let  us  go 
in,  he  ia  worth  seeing  as  a  specimen  of  a 
class  once  very  common  in  this  country, 
and  still  more  numerous  than  is  desira- 
ble." 

Mr.  Hunt  lifted  his  cap  to  Barclay  as 
he  entered  the  room — a  mode  of  saluta- 
tion not  very  common  in  Nova  Scotia,  a 
Bhort,  free,  and  easy  nod  of  the  head  be- 
ing infinitely  less  troublesome  and  cere- 
monious, and,  therefore,  in  more  general 
nse. 

"Morning  to  you,  squire!"  he  said, 
in  his  accustomed  loud  tone  and  familiar 
manner.  "  I  am  glad  to  see  you.  I 
have  been  waiting  for  you  for  some  time 
to  look  at  a  horse  I  have  here  that  will 
just  suit  you.  He  is  great^  that's  a 
fact ;  a  perfect  case,  I  assure  you.  He 
can  trot  his  mile  id  two  minutes  and 
thirty  seconds,  and  no  break,  shuffle- 
rack,  or  pace,  but  a  handsome  round  trot, 
with  splendid  knee  action  ;  not  pawing 
the  air  like  make-believe,  nor  pounding 
the  road  like  breaking  stones,  but  a  sort 
of  touch-me-light-and-go-easy  style,  like 
the  beat  of  a  gall's  finger  on  the  pianny ; 
ind  so  gentle,  a  child  can  manage  him. 
When  you  want  him  to  go,  take  up  the 
reins  and  he's  off  like  a  fox ;  when  you 
want  him  to  stop,  throw  them  down,  and 
lie'U  stand  all  day.  The  way  he  makes 
the  spokes  fly  round  in  a  wheel,  so  that 
vou  can  only  see  the  rim,  as  if  it  was  a 
noop,  is  amazing.  It  frighten  3d  me  at 
first,  and  I  t '  I't  easy  scared  by  ^  horse. 
He  is  a  s?/-)  crior  animal,  beyond  all 
doubt.  I  never  was  suited  before  in  all 
my  life,  and  I  don't  know  as  he  ain't 
(poilt  me,  so  I  never  shall  be  suited  agin. 
Sometimes  I  think  I  can't  part  with 
him  any  how,  for  I  can't  never  get  an- 
other like  him  ;  and  sometimes  I  take  a 
notion  into  my  head  I  ought  to  sell  him, 
13  it  is  too  much  money  for  a  poor  man 
like  me  to  have  in  a  horse.  You've 
ticarn  tell  of  Heber  of  Windsor,  haven't 
fou?  Well,  he's  crazy  pfter  him  ;  and 
if  ho  don't  know  a  good  one  when  he 
lees  him,  he  does  when  he  tries  him, 
ind  that's  more  than  most  men  do.  I'd 
like  you  to  have  him,  for  you  are  a 


judge  of  a  horse — perhaps,  the  best  in 
these  parts  (though  I've  seen  the  leak 
put  into  you,  too,  afore  now).  You  will 
take  good  care  of  him,  and  I  wouldn't 
like  to  see  the  critter  knocked  about 
like  a  corn.  He  will  lead  your  taudem 
beautiful,  and  keep  his  traces  up  with- 
out doing  the  whole  work  and  killing 
himself.  A  thread  will  guide  him ;  ana 
then  he  knows  how  to  slack  up  a  going- 
down  hill,  so  as  not  to  drag  the  wheeler 
off  his  legs.  0,  he's  a  doll !  His  sinews 
are  all  scorpion  tails  and  whipcords,  and 
he's  muscle  enough  for  two  beasts  of  hLl 
size.  You  can't  fault  him  in  no  par- 
ticular, for  he  is  perfect,  head  or  neck, 
shoulder  or  girth,  back  or  loins,  stifle  or 
hock,  or  chest  and  pastions ;  and  as  for 
hoofs,  they  actilly  seem  as  if  they  was 
made  a  purpose  for  a  trotter.  In  fact, 
you  may  say  he's  the  greatest  piece  of 
stuff  ever  wrapped  up  in  horse-hide. 
Come  and  look  at  him,  and  judge  for 
yourself.  My  price  is  two  fifty ;  but,  if 
you  like  him,  say  the  word,  and  he  is 
yours  at  two  hundred  dollars,  fof  I'd 
like  you  to  have  him.  I  consait  he'll 
suit  you  to  a  notch,  and  do  me  credit 
top.  Heavens  and  airth !  ain't  he  the 
boy  to  slip  by  the  ofiicers'  tandems  club 
to  Halifax  like  wink,  and  you  a  sitting  at 
your  ease,  pretending  to  hold  him  in, 
and  a  passing  of  them,  nodding,  and 
laughing  good-natured-like,  as  much  as 
to  say, '  Don't  you  wish  you  could  keep 
the  road  now  you've  got  it?'  " 

"  Squire  Barclay,"  said  a  man,  who 
had  just  removed  a  pipe  from  his  mouth 
for  the  purpose  of  replacing  it  with  a 
tumbler  of  rum  and  water — "  squire,  you 
have  heard  Zeb  Hunt  talk  afore  to-day, 
I  reckon.  I  have  been  listening  to  him 
while  he  has  been  a  running  on  like  a 
mill-wheel,  a  praising  of  his  horse  up  to 
the  very  nine  as  the  pink  of  all  perfec- 
tion ;  but  he  never  said  a  word  about 
his  soundness,  do  you  mark  1  If  you 
intend  to  make  a  trade  with  him,  I  guess 
you  had  better  be  wide  awake,  for  he  is 
t«x>  much  for  most  folks ;  a  man  must 
rise  early  in  the  morning  to  catch  him 
napping." 

"  What's  that  you  say,  you  leather- 
lipped  rascal?"  retorted  the  Pippin,  a> 


1   1*1 


4*'  ^ 


It, 

I 


f 


76 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


he  advanced  menacingly  tow.^rds  his  ac- 
cuser. "  How  dare  you  put  in  your  oar 
when  gentlemen  are  bantering  for  a 
trade,  you  ewe-necked,  cat-bamed,  shad- 
built,  lop-eared,  onderbread  villain  ? 
You  measure  other  folks'  corn  with  your 
own  bushel,  and  judge  your  neighbors 
by  yourself — about  as  bad  a  standard  as 
you'll  find  any  where.  Squire,"  he  con- 
tinued, turning  away  with  apparent  con- 
tempt from  the  man  who  baa  traduced 
him,  "  if  there  is  any  one  thing  I  pride 
myself  upon  in  the  world,  it  is  on  being 
candid.  I  am  straight  up  and  down ; 
what  I  say  I  mean,  and  what  I  mean 
I'll  stand  to.  I  take  all  mankind  to  be 
rogues,  more  or  less,  and,  what's  more, 
canting,  hypocritical  rogues,  too;  for 
they  pretend  they  are  honest,  all  the 
time  they  are  cheating  the  world  and 
the  devil.  Now,  I  am  straightforward, 
open,  and  above  board.  I  pretend  to 
nothing.  *I  won't  say  I'll  not  get  the  ad- 
vantage if  I  can  in  a  horse  trade,  or  any 
other  trade.  I  don't  deny  it.  I  avow 
it  open.  What  sort  of  a  deal  would  it 
be  were  I  to  get  the  disadvantage  al- 
ways ?  "Why,  in  six  months,  I  shou'dn't 
have  a  hotBe  to  trade  with ;  for  what  is 
trade,  if  you  come  to  that,  but  gambling 
with  the  chances  in  your  favor  ?  I  am 
not  bound  to  tell  my  horses'  faults.  I 
don't  like  to  dwell  on  the  faults  of  my 
friends ;  I  praise  their  virtues.  People 
don't  cry  stinking  fish,  in  a  giniral  way, 
in  any  markfet  I  was  ever  in  yet,  because 
folks  have  noses,  and  can  smell  for  them- 
selves. I  don't  talk  of  sprains,  curbs, 
and  ring-bones  ;  people  have  eyes,  and 
can  see  for  themselves :  and  if  they  are 
too  plaguy  careless  to  look,  whose  fault 
is  that  ?  No,  sir,  I  scorn  a  dirty  thing. 
I  conceal  nothing.  I  say,  publicly,  I 
expect  the  advantage  in  a  bargain  ;  and 
if  I  can't  get  it,  I  don't  trade.  That's 
my  rule,  sir ;  and  I  don't  care  who  knows 
it.  I  hate  and  despise  pretence.  The 
world's  full  of  it  Every  man,  in  a  gini- 
ral way,  has  more  cloaks  to  cover  his 
villany  than  shirts  to  cover  his  back. 

"My  eyes  were  first  opened  to  the 
baseness  and  falsehood  of  mankind  in 
elections.  I  had  no  idea  what  rascals 
politicians  were — canting  about  patriot- 


ism, reform,  public  spirit,  education, 
ameliorating  the  condition  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  so  on  ;  and  all  the  time  using 
these  slang  words  as  blinds  to  conceal 
office  and  place-seeking,  selfish  ends, 
grasping  public  money  and  what  not. 
I  first  started  in  life  on  the  Tory  ticket, 
for  I  am  a  loyal  man,  and  so  was  father 
afore  me.  He  was  a  refugee  loyalist, 
and  left  the  States  and  all  his  property 
to  follow  the  flag  of  his  king  into  this 
cold  country,  that's  only  fit  for  wolvea 
and  bears.  Well,  we  had  a  great  elec- 
tion to  Digby,  and  we  carried  in  our 
Tory  man.  Lawyer  Clam  (him  that  was 
raised  on  tho  mud  fiats  to  the  joggin) ; 
and  when  our  side  won  the  day,  and  1 
went  to  get  my  share  of  the  plunder,  he 
had  the  impudence  to  tell  me  all  the 
offices  that  could  be  spared  must  be 
given  to  the  Radicals  to  conciliate  them. 
' Conciliate  old  Scratch  !' says  I:  'giv- 
ing ihem  fellows  sops,  is  like  giving  bits 
of  raw  meat  to  bull-dogs  ;  it  only  makes 
them  hungrier,  furiouscr,  and  wickeder.' 
But  so  it  was,  and  so  it  always  has  been, 
with  that  party,  in  America  ;  they  don't 
stick  to  their  friends,  and  I  ginn  them 
up  in  disgust,  and  changed  sideii  right 
away.  I  am  a  candid  man.  I  am  will- 
ing to  serve  the  country,  but  then  I 
like  reciprocation,  and  the  country 
ought  to  serve  me.  Friendship  can't 
stand  on  one  leg  long,  and,  if  it  does, 
it's  plain  it  can't  go  ahead  much  at  any 
rate.  Well,  by  me  by,  the  Rads  "ome 
in.  '  Now,'  said  I,  '  remember  Zeb 
Hunt ;  he  wants  an  office.'  But,  lo  and 
behold  I  the  offices  were  all  wanted  for 
the  leaders,  and  there  were  non3  left 
for  the  followers  but  the  office  of  drudges. 
Seeing  they  were  both  tarred  with  the 
same  stick,  one  side  of  which  had  toi 
much  liberality,  and  ihe  other  too  much 
selfishness,  I  thought  my  chance  would 
be  better  to  lay  hold  on  both  enda  of 
the  rope,  and  I  went  on  both  sides,  one 
foot  on  one  and  one  foot  on  t'other  ;  but 
they  pulled  so  far  apart,  they  straddled  | 
me  so  wide,  they  nearly  split  me  up  to 
the  chin.  Politics,  squire,  are  like  pea- 
soup  ;  they  are  all  very  well  and  ver; 
good  when  kept  well  stirred,  but  a.s  soon  I 
as  the  stir  is  over,  the  thin  part  flotts 


And. 


>?  •<: 


fice.'     But,  lo  and 


A  PIPPIN  J  OR,  SHEEPSKINS  AND  GARTERS. 


177 


stirred,  but  as  soon 


ap  by  itself,  acd  the  rich  and  thick  set- 
tles down  for  them  who  are  at  the  bot- 
tom of  things.  Who  ever  heard  of  a 
fellow  like  me  being  choked  by  a  gov- 
ernment loaf,  or  his  throat  hurt  by  the 
bone  of  a  fish  that's  too  large  to  swallow  ? 
Now,  I've  taken  Uncle  Tim's  place :  I 
am  neuter.  I  avow  it,  for  I'm  a  candid 
man ;  and  a  fellow  can't  be  honest  if 
he  don't  speak  up  plain.  I  am  neuter 
now,  and  courted  by  both  sides ;  and 
whichever  comes  nearest  my  mark  will 
get  me.  But  neuter  is  my  ticket  just 
now.  You  kno^  Uncle  Tim  ;  he  was 
small,  very  small — not  in  stature,  for 
be  was  a  six-footer,  but  small  in  mind 
aud  small  in  heart :  his  soul  was  no 
bigger  than  a  flea's.  '  Zeb,  my  boy,' 
says  he  to  me,  one  day, '  always  be  neu- 
ter in  elections.  You  can't  get  nothing 
by  them  but  ill-will.  Dear,  dear,  I  wish 
I  had  never  voted !  I  never  did  but 
ODcet,  and,  dear,  dear,  I  wish  I  had  let 
that  alone  !  There  was  an  army  doctor 
oucet,  Zeb,  lived  right  opposite  to  me 
to  Digby :  dear,  dear,  he  was  a  good 
friend  to  me  !  He  was  very  fond  of  we- 
ther mutton,  and  when  he  killed  a  sheep 
he  used  to  say  to  me,  '  Friend  Tim,  I 
will  give  you  the  skin  if  you  will  accept 
it.'  Dear,  dear,  what  a  lot  of  them  he 
gave  me,  first  and  last !  Well,  oncet 
the  doctor's  son.  Lawyer  Williams, 
offered  for  the  town,  and  so  did  my  bro- 
ther-in-law, Phin  Tucker;  and,  dear, 
dear,  I  was  in  a  proper  fix.  Well,  the 
doctor  axed  me  to  vote  for  his  son,  and 
I  just  up  and  told  him  I  would,  only 
my  relation  was  candidating  also  ;  but 
ginn  him  my  hand  and  promise  I  would 
be  neuter.  Well,  I  told  brother-in-law 
the  same,  that  I'd  vote  for  him  with 
pleasure,  only  my  old  friend  the  doctor's 
son  was  offering  too ;  and,  therefore, 
gave  him  my  word  also,  I'd  be  neuter. 
And,  oh,  dear,  dear,  neuter  I  would 
have  remained  too,  if  it  hadn't  a-been 
for  them  two  electioneering  gcutrals — 
devils,  I  luight  say— Lory  Scott  and 
Terry  Todd.  Dear,  dear,  some  how  or 
'nother,  they  got  hold  of  the  story  of 
the  sheepskins,  and  they  gave  me  uo 
peace  day  or  night.  '  What,'  says  they, 
'  are  you  going  io  sell  your  touiitry  for 
12 


a  sheepskin  V  The  day  of  the  election 
they  seized  on  me,  one  by  one  arm,  and 
the  other  by  the  other,  and  lugged  me 
off  to  the  poll,  whether  I  would  of  no. 

" '  Who  do  you  vote  for  V  said  the 
sheriff. 

" '  Would  you  sell  your  country  for  a 
sheepskin  V  shouted  Terry  in  one  ear. 

"  '  Would  you  sell  your  country  for  a 
sheepskin  ?'  bellowed  Lory  in  the  other 
ear. 

"  I  was  so  frightened  I  hardly  knew 
what  I  did  ;  but  they  tell  me  I  voted 
for  brother  Phin  !  Dear,  dear,  the  doc- 
tor never  gave  me  a  sheepskin  while  he 
lived  after  that.  Dear,  dear,  that  was 
an  ugly  vote  for  me  !' 

"  Uncle  Tim  is  right,  neuter  is  the 
ticket ;  friends  to  both  sides,  and  ene- 
mies to  none — that's  a  fact  I  Political 
leaders,  squire,  are  an  unprincipled 
crew  of  selfish  rascals.  Talk  of  a  horse- 
jockey,  sir!  What  is  he  to  a  man- 
jockey !  Think  of  a  fellor  with  patriot 
ism  in  his  mouth,  and  office-seeking  in 
his  heart,  a-talking  of  sarving  his  coun- 
try while  he  is  sarving  of  the  devil ! 
Why,  he  is  a  villain,  sir,  whoever  he  is ! 
There  is  nothing  like  candor !  Now, 
what  I  tell  you  of  my  horse  is  true,  sir ; 
and  I  must  have  my  price.  Is  there 
any  thing  wrong  in  that  ?  Wrong  in  a 
world  where  every  class  conceals  mo- 
tives ?     Look  at  lawyers,  now  " 

A  smile  on  Barclay's  face  reminded 
him  that  he  was  on  delicate  ground,  and 
he  extricated  himself  very  adroitly. 

"  Look  at  lawyers,  take  them  by  and 
large,  perhaps  they  are  about  as  candid 
men  as  you  will  sec  any  where  !" 

A  general  laugh  rewarded  this  skilful 
manoeuvre ;  but  he  proceeded  without 
noticing  it. 

"  Still  some  of  them — I  think  you  will 
admit  that,  Mr.  Barclay — some  of  them, 
though  they  scorn  to  tell  a  lie  them- 
selves, tell  other  folks'  lies  to  a  jury ; 
and  then  wind  up  by  swearing  they  be- 
lieve what  they  have  said  is  all  true." 

Leaving  a  topic  into  which  he  had  so 
thoughtlessly  blundered,  he  continued, 

"  Bat  of  all  the  scoundrels  in  the 
world,  perhaps  the  doctors  are  the  big- 
^j;est  by  far.     A  candid  doctor,  like  a 


ft  . 


*<'., 


K    • 


.     «  -4:, 

X 


178 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


sound  horse,  ain't  to  be  found  in  eyery 
Btreet  of  a  city,  I  tell  you.  They  are 
*he  boys  for  hilling  ignorance  and  quack- 
ery under  Latin  words,  or  in  red,  blue, 
yailer,  and  pink  lotions,  and  extortion 
in  bread-pills  by  the  cart  load.  They 
tell  you  they  visit  the  poor  gratis! 
Perhaps  that's  the  greatest  lie  ever  told 
by  man.  They  take  credit  for  these 
acts  of  charity  with  the  public,  and  debit 
the  first  rich  patient  with  the  amount, 
in  addition  to  his  own  bill.  No  doctor 
ever  made  a  bad  debt  yet ;  for  if  one 
man  can't  pay,  another  can.  It's  only 
changing  names,  and  it's  all  right.  Ac- 
cording to  their  creed,  there  is  no  harm 
in  robbing  Peter  to  pay  Paul.  I'll  tell 
you  what  I  knew  myself  oncet.  Old 
Dr.  Green  (you  knowed  him,  in  course 
^-every  body  knowed  him),  lived  on 
Digby  Neck.  He  was  reckoned  to  be 
a  skilful  man,  and  was  known  to  be  a 
regular  rotated  doctor ;  but  he  drank 
i:lie  a  fish  (and  it's  actilly  astonishing 
tow  many  country  doctors  have  taken 
to  drink),  and,  of  course,  he  warn't  al- 
ways a  very  safe  man  in  cases  where  a 
cool  head  and  a  steady  hand  was  needed 
'though  folks  did  say  he  knowed  a 
plaguy  sight  more,  even  when  he  was 
drunk,  than  one-half  of  them  do  when 
they  are  sober).  Well,  one  day  old  Jim 
Beid,  who  was  a  pot-companion  of  his, 
sent  him  a  note  to  como  into  town  im- 
mediately, without  the  loss  of  one  mo- 
ment of  time,  and  bring  his  amputating 
instruments  with  him,  for  there  was  a 
most  shocking  accide^kt  had  happened 
at  his  house.  So  in  oome  the  doctor  as 
hard  as  ho  could  drive,  looking  as  sorry 
all  the  time  as  if  he  didn't  live  by  mis- 
fortunes and  accidents,  the  old  hypo- 
crite ! 

"  '  My  dear  friend,'  said  he,  solemnly, 
to  Reid,  and  a-taking  of  him  by  the 
hand,  and  giving  it  a  doleful  shake — 
'  My  dear  friend,  what  is  the  matter? 
Who  is  hurt  ?  And  what  the  devil  is 
to  pay  now  ?  How  thankful  we  all 
ought  to  be  that  the  accident  hasn't  oc- 
curred to  one  whom  wo  all  respect  so 
much  as  you.' 

"  And  then  he  unpacked  his  instru- 
ments, ofif  with  his  coat,  and  up  with  his 


sleeves ;  and  with  one  hand  pulls  a  hair 
out  of  his  head,  and  with  the  other  takes 
his  knife  and  cuts  it  in  two  to  prove  the 
edge  was  all  right.  Then  he  began  to 
whistle  while  he  examined  his  saw,  for 
nothing  puts  these  chaps  in  such  good- 
humor  as  cutting  and  slashing  away  at 
legs  and  arms — operating  as  they  call 
it — and  when  all  was  ready,  says  he — 

" '  Reid.'  says  he,  a-tapping  him  on 
the  shoulder,  '  where  is  the  patient  V 

"  Well,  Reid  opened  the  door  of  an- 
other room,  and  there  was  a  black  boy 
a-holding  of  a  duck  on  the  table  that 
had  broke  his  leg  ! 

" '  There  is  a  case  for  amputation, 
doctor !'  said  he ;  '  but  first  of  all,  take  a 
glass  of  brandy  and  water  to  steady  your 
nerves.  He  knows  you,'  says  he.  '  Hear 
him  how  he  calls  out  'Quack,  quack,' 
after  you,  as  if  he  was  afraid  to  let  you 
perform  on  him.' 

"  Well,  the  doctor  entered  into  tLe 
joke  as  good-natured  as  possible  ;  laugh- 
ed like  any  thing  ;  whipped  down  the 
grog ;  whipped  off  the  leg  ;  and  whipped 
up  the  knives  and  saws  in  no  time. 

" '  You  must  stay  to  dine,  doctor,' 
said  Reid  (for  the  joke  was  only  intended 
to  get  him  into  town  to  drink  along  with 
him) ;  and  he  stayed  to  dine,  and  stayed 
to  sup,  and  being  awful  drunk,  stayed 
to  bed,  too. 

"  Well,  every  time  Reid  saw  him  arter 
thai  in  town,  he  asked  him  to  come  in 
and  see  his  patient,  which  meant  to  come 
in  and  drink  ;  and  so  he  did  as  long  as 
the  cask  o"  rael,  particular  Jamaikay 
lasted. 

'•  Some  time  after  that,  the  old  fellow 
sent  in  a  bill  for  operating,  making  a 
wooden  leg,  medical  attendance,  and  ad- 
vice, per  order,  for  twenty-five  pounds ; 
and  what's  more,  when  Reid  wouldn't 
pay  it,  the  doctor  sued  him  for  it  to 
court,  and  gained  his  cause.  Fact.  I 
assure  you.  I  never  knew  a-  worse 
urick  than  that,  unless  it  was  one  that 
that  leather-lipped  gentleman,  Mr, 
Gates  (who  took  the  liberty  of  jeering 
at  me  and  my  horse  just  now),  played 
off  in  Aylesford,  in  company  with  this 
lamb.  Master  Ben  Dale." 

And  he  bestowed  upon  the  piur  such 


,.At 


'':W.  ""' 


d  pulls  a  hair 
he  other  takes 

0  to  prove  the 
he  began  to 

1  his  saw,  for 
in  such  good- 

.shing  away  at 
r  as  they  call 
iy,  says  he — 
pping  him  on 
le  patient?' 
le  door  of  an- 
IS  a  black  boy 
the  table  that 

)r  amputation, 
st  of  all,  take  a 
:  to  steady  your 
says  he.  '  Hear 
Quack,  quack,' 
fraid  to  let  yon 

itered  into  tlie 
possible ;  laugh- 
pped  down  the 
; ;  and  whipped 
n  no  time. 
)  dine,  doctor,' 
IS  only  intended 
Irink  along  with 
line,  and  stayed 
drunk,  stayed 

id  saw  him  arter 
him  to  come  in 
1  meant  to  come 
B  did  as  long  as 
ular  Jamaikay 

it,  the  old  fellow 
ating,  making  a 
cndance,  and  ad- 

ity-five  pounds ; 

Reid  woulun't 

d  him  for  it  to 

cause.     Fact,  I 
knew  a-  worse 

it  was  one  that 
gentleman,  Mr. 
iberty  of  jeering 
i9t  now),  played 
mpany  with  this 

on  the  pivir  sufcli 


a 


A  PIPPIN ;  OR,  SHEEPSKINS  AND  GARTERS. 


179 


t^Iook  of  malicious  mischief,  that  it  was 
evident  he  was  about  disclosing  a  trick 
of  trade,  or  substituting  them  for  the 
real  actors  in  the  transaction,  for  their 
astonishment,  and  frequent  and  earnest 
denials,  evinced  that  ttey  then  heard  it 
applied  to  themselves  for  the  first  time. 
Mr.  Benjamin  Dale,  the  person  to 
whom  he  applied  the  peculiarly  expres- 
Bive  phrase  of  the  country — "  A  Lan^b !" 
(ras  "  a  character  "  also,  as  well  as  himself, 
but  a  specimen  of  a  different  species  of  the 
same  genus  of  drover  and  horse-jockey. 
Unlike  Mr.  Zeb.  Hunt  he  had  but  little  to 
say  for  himself  or  his  horses.  He  made  no 
pretensions  to  the  reputation  of  being  a 
candid  man.  He  was  careful,  quiet,  and 
unobtrusive  •  and,  relied  more  upon  the 
agency  of  others  whom  he  employed, 
than  upon  making  broad  assertions  and 
dangerous  representations  himself.  He 
managed  matters  so  as  to  have  purcha- 
sers sent  to  him,  who  had  been  previously 
informed  of  all  the  valuable  qualities  of 
his  horses,  and  did  little  more  himself 
than  exhibit  them  to  the  best  advantage. 
He  was  rather  reserved  in  his  communi- 
cations ;  but  made  use  of  language, 
which,  though  extremely  guarded,  im- 

?lied  much  more  than  it  expressed, 
'hough  engaged  in  the  same  business 
with  the  "  Pippin,"  and  equally  expert 
and  unscrupulous  in  his  way,  he  was 
as  different  a  person  as  could  well 
be  imagined.  He  was  a  tall,  thin 
man,  whom  constant  exposure  to  the 
weather  had  so  hardened,  that  he  ap 
peared  to  disdain  the  effeminate  wrap- 
pings generally  used  in  this  country  to 
guard  against  the  intense  cold.  He  was 
poorly,  and — every  body  else  but  him- 
«elf  would  have  said — very  insufficiently 
clad.  He  wore  a  pair  of  close-fitting 
I  pantaloons,  made  of  coarse  blue  home- 
spun, of  open  texture,  over  which  were 
drawn  a  pair  of  long  boots,  the  wide  and 
capacious  tops  of  which  appeared  to  be 
designed  to  catch  the  rain  that  might 
I  fall  from  the  skirts  of  a  pea-jacket,  which 
lerved  the  double  purpose  of  coat  and 
lurtout.  This  latter  garment,  notwith- 
etanding  the  severity  of  the  season,  was 
Worn  open  at  the  breast,  which  was  only 
pralected  by  a  calico  shirt.     His  neck, 


which  was  in  proportion  to  his  height 
and  skeleton-like  form,  derived  some 
support  from  a  stiff  black  stock,  buckled 
so  tight  as  to  account  for  the  remarkable 
distension  of  his  eyes,  while  his  head 
was  held  fast  between  two  enormous 
stiff  shirt  collars  that  reached  nearly  to 
his  ears.  His  face  was  hard,  hollow, 
bcny,  and  thin ;  his  mouth  large,  and 
armed  with  teeth  of  great  size  and 
strength  (those  in  the  upper  jaw  pro- 
truding considerably) ;  his  eyes  were 
cold,  fixed,  and  apparently  vacant. 
Long,  coarse,  black.  Indian-like  hair, 
fell  straight  on  his  neck  and  collar,  and 
was  occasionally  removed  from  the  fore- 
head by  a  shake  of  the  head,  not  unlike 
the  twirl  of  a  mop.  Such  was  the  per- 
son whom  rivalry  or  mischief  prompted 
Mr.  Zebulon  to  associate  with  Gates  in 
the  charge  of  fraud. 

"  Gates,  squire,"  said  the  Pippin, 
"  set  off  last  year  on  a  tour  through  the 
mountains,  to  buy  cattle  " 

"  I'll  take  my  oath,"  replied  the 
other,  "  I  have  not  been  on  the  moun- 
tains these  three  years." 

"  You  was — you  was — ^you  was  !" 
said  Hunt,  who  put  his  hands  on  his 
hips,  und  stooping  forward  until  his 
face  nearly  touched  that  of  his  antago- 
nist uttered  this  singular  reiteration, 
with  wonderful  rapidity,  rather  throug|i 
his  teeth  than  with  his  lips — "  It's  true 
— it',?  true — It's  true  I"  and  then  ro- 
sumins  his  natuiSlIitDoBition  and  manner, 


continued — 

"  Didn't  I  tellj^ydtt,, squire,  that  fel- 
lows that  are  bad  enojtigh  to  play  rogue, 
are  fools  enough  to  be  ashamed  of  it  ? 
JV^ell,  sir,  he  took  a  list  of  the  names  of 
all  the  farmers  that  had  cattle  to  sell  in 
them  altitudes,  and  he  told  this  precious 
lamb,  this  pretty  bird,  Mr.  Dale,  who  is 
half  bittern,  half  hawk — he  is  so  tough, 
thin,  and  long-siglited — to  follow  him 
along  the  road  a*^  a  distance  of  a  mile  or 
two,  so  as  to  be  ready  to  jjlay  into  his 
hand  when  he  wanted  him.  Well,  the 
first  man  he  came  to  ho  bantered  for 
his  cattle  ;  oft'ered  him  a  sura  far  below 
the  market  price  ;  and  es: miniated  their 
weight  iit  just  one  half  what  it  was  :  and 
then,  when  he'd  see  Dale  a-jogging  along, 


1      .i'    '■ 
*     J 


'•»'•«• 


«,    t 


180 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


I'  - . 


"m 


he'd  say,  "  Well,  I'll  abide  by  whatever 
the  first  person  we  find  says,  for  I'm  for 
the  fair  deal,  and  only  want  what's  right. 
Ah,  here  is  Mr.  Dak,  he  is  reckoned  as 
candid  a  man  as  we  have  in  these  parts, 
and  a  good  judge  of  cattle,  too.' 

" '  Mr.  Dale,  just  halt  a  bit,  if  you 
please !  This  gentleman  and  me  are 
about  trading  for  this  pair  of  cattle,  but 
he  values  his  oxen  at  twenty-five  pounds. 
I  say  the  price  should  be  seventeen,  for 
he  is  evidently  under  a  great  mistake 
shout  their  weight  What  do  you 
say?' 

" Well.  Dale,  who  'ad  had  his  lesson 
all  beforehand  in  luo  matter,  at  first 
declined  being  uaipi".  He  said  he  was 
no  judge;  hf)  w^i  Idn't  value  other  men's 
things;  it  wn?  :>.  tbar  less  office,  and 
seldom  satisfieil  cuher  7>arty,  and  so  on. 
Till  at  last,  both  oir  '  ?  begged  and 
pressed  him  so  \wu\  iie  consented. 
Well,  he  looked  very  WiSe,  and  walked 
round  and  round  the  oxen,  feeling  them, 
and  kind  of  measuring  them  with  his 
eyes,  as  if  he  was  trying  to  be  exact, 
and  do  what's  right  and  just.  And  at 
last  he  says — 

" '  I  think,  Mr.  Gates,'  says  he,  '  with 
all  due  submission  to  your  better  judg- 
ment, they  are  worth  more  than  you  say 
by  three  pounds.  I  value  them  at 
twenty  pounds,  which  is  the  right  thing 
between  man  and  man,  in  my  humble 
opinion !' 

"  Well,  the  farmer  was  awful  disap- 
pointed, but  he  couldn't  help  himself, 
seeing  he  had  chosen  him  as  umpire ; 
and  Gates  pretended  to  got  very  wrothy. 
bat  being  a  man  of  his  word,  he  would 
stand  to  his  agreement,  thougb  he  vowed 
he  would  never  take  another  man's  judg- 
ment agin  in  business,  as  long  as  he 
lived.  So  he  just  tricked  him  out  of 
five  pounds ;  and  the  pretty  pair  went 
all  through  the  mountains,  and  cheated 
all  the  settlers  they  dealt  with  the  same 
way." 

Both  of  them  denied  the  story  in  toto. 
They  afl&rmed  that  they  had  not  only 
never  travelled  in  company,  but  had  not 
been  on  the  highlands  for  year,s. 

"  You  did — you  did — you  did  ! — you 
was — ^you  was — you  was  !"  he  ropoated. 


with  the  same  volubility  as  before ;  ancl 
then  observed  more  deliberately — 

"  0  yes,  deny  it,  of  course.  •  It's  the 
way  of  the  wdnd.  Pretend  to  be  hon- 
est, and  run  down  poor  Zeb.  It's  no 
harm  to  call  him  a  rogue.  I'll  trouble 
you,  Mr.  Gates,  another  time,  to  mind 
your  own  business,  and  not  to  interfere 
with  me.  That's  only  one  of  your  cu- 
pers  I  have  told.  So,  if  you  don't  want  \ 
to  hoar  more  of  them,  take  mum  for  year  \ 
text  and  watchword  in  future." 

"  Now,  sir,"  he  said,  resuming  his  con- 
versation with  Barclay,  "just  be  candid,  j 
and  tell  me,  ain't  there  tricks  in  all  j 
trades,  offices,  and  places,  in  the  uni 
varsal  world,  as  well  as  the  horse-  j 
trade  ?  Did  you  never  hear  of  a  gov- 
ernment warehouse  destroyed  by  fire, 
being  a  grand  excuse  for  every  missing 
thing  for  years  arterwards  ?  or  stores,  [ 
condemned  as  unfit  Tor  use,  being  re- 
turned to  their  place  to  make  up  for  I 
good  ones  taken  out  ?  or  crowbars  and 
pickaxes  accounted  fmr  as  destroyed  by 
the  rats?  or  things  received  at  one 
measure  and  delivered  at  another,  and 
the  diflFerence  pocketed  ?  Did  you  evei 
know  a  carpenter  slight  his  work,  oi 
charge  extra  for  things  in  his  contract! 
or  a  blacksmith  give  you  bad  iron  1  or 
a  mason  fill  his  wall  with  rubbish,  gc 
that  it  fell  down  almost  as  socn  as  it 
was  built?  or  a  grocer  mix  sloe-leaves | 
with  tea,  or  turn  water  into  rum,  or 
roasted  Indian  corn  into  ground  coffee- 
or  put  gypsum  into  flour  so  as  to  make 
it  weigh  heavy  ?  or  a  baker  give  you 
light  weight  ?  or  a  legislator  smuggle 
or  vote  none-  into  his  own  pocket! 
Or  any  .  >'  theiu  little  practioal  jokes  to 
make  f^nks  laugh?  0,  b''  r  innocent 
the  wor!.I  is.  isn't  it?  Why,  even  your 
cold,  hard,  dismal,  covenanting  deacooa, 
can  do  a  little  bit  of  cheatery  on  their 
own  hook  eometimes  on  the  sly.  Two 
of  them  was  caught  in  the  very  act  no 
later  than  last  week.  Old  Deacon  Bruci 
of  Ayle-sford,  last  Monday  week,  bought 
a  sleigli  of  his  fellow-deaoon,  Squire 
Burns,  for  five  pounds.  On  liis  waj 
home  with  it,  who  should  he  meet  but 
Zeek  Morse,  a  trudging  along  througt 
the  snow  a-foot. 


^■•■t^ 


A  PIPPIN;  OR,  SHEEPSKINS  AND  GARTERS, 


(81 


?    Did  you  eyei 
ght  his  work,  oi 

in  his  contract'. 
ou  bad  iron?  or 

with  rubbish,  6C I 
)st  as  aocn  as  it 
mix  sloe-leaves  I 
iter  into  mm,  or 


•"Friend  Zeek,'  says  the  old  Chris- 
aan, '  won't  you  get  in  and  ride  ?  Here's 
room  for  yeu,  and  welcome.' 

" '  Don't  care  if  I  do,'  says  Zeek, '  see- 
ing that  sitting  is  as  cheap  as  walking 
if  you  don't  pay  for  it.'  So  he  hops  in, 
and  away  they  go. 

"  Well,  Zeek  was  mightily  taken  with 
the  sleigh. 

"'Deacon,'  says  he,  'how  shall  ycu 
and  n>e  trade  for  it?  It's  jus!  the  arti- 
cle I  want,  for  I  am  a  going  down  lO 
Bridgetown  next  week,  to  be  married ; 
and  it  will  suit  me  to  a  notch  to  fetch 
Mrs.  Morse,  my  wife,  home  in.  What 
will  you  take  for  it  ?' 

"'Nine  pounds,'  said  old  Conscience. 
'It  cost  me  seven  pounds  ten  shillings, 
to  Deacon  Burns,  who  built  it ;  and  it's 
the  right  season  for  using  it,  and  I  can't 
get  another  made  till  next  winter.  I 
must  have  nine  pounds  for  it,  and  it 
ain't  dear  at  that  price,  neither.' 

■' '  Done ! '  says  Zeek — for  he  is  an  off- 
hand kind  of  chap,  and  never  stands 
bantering  and  chaffering  a  long  time, 
I  but  says  at  once  what  he  means,  as  I 
do.  'Done!'  says  he — "tis  mine!' 
and  the  deacon  drives  up  to  his  house, 
gets  his  pay,  and  leaves  the  sleigh  there. 

"  Next  morning,  when  Zeek  went  to 

examine  his  purchase,  he  found  there 

was  a  bolt  left  out  by  mistake,  so  off  he 

goes  to  the  maker,  Deacon  Burns,  to  get 

,  it  put  in,  when  he  ups  and  tells  him  all 

I  about  the  bargain. 

"'Did  the  old  gentleman  tell  you  my 
1  price  was  seven  pounds  ten  V  said  he. 

"  0  yes,'  said  Zeek,  '  in  cour.se  he 
I  did — there  is  no  mistake  about  it.  I'll 
I  take  my  oath  to  it.' 

"'Well,  so  it  was,'  said  Burns.  'He 
I  told  you  true.  He  was  to  give  me  seven 
pounds  ten  ;  but  as  thfere  was  nobody 
pybut  him  and  me  when  he  traded^  and 
as  it  ain't  paid  for  yet,  he  might  perhaps 
forget  it,  for  be  is  getting  to  be  an  old 
man  now.    Will  you  try  to  recollect-  it?' 

'''Sartainly,'  said  Zeek,  'I'll  swear 
I  to  it  any  day  you  please,  in  any  court 
ia  the  world,  for  them  was  his  very 
[words  to  me' 

"What  does  Deacon  Burns  dobu  go 
I  right  off  and  sue  Deacon  Bruce  for  6e\  un 


pounds  ten,  instead  of  five  pounds,  the 
real  price ;  called  Zeek  as  a  witness  to 
his  admission ;  and  gained  his  case  i 
Fact,  upon  my  soul.  Warn't  they  a 
well-matched  yoke  of  cattle,  them  dea- 
cons, Mr.  Gates? 

"  What  do  you  judge  the  pair  of  them 
are  worth.  Master  Ben  Dale,  eh?  for 
you're  a  judge  of  weight  and  prices,  it 
seems,  and  ain't  apt  to  overvaly  things  ? 

"  Now,  do  you  suppose,  Squire  Bar- 
clay, that  clergymen  are  exempt  from 
these  tricks  of  trade  ?  I'll  tell  you 
what " 

"  Let  the  menesters  be,"  said  an  old 
man  (generally  known  by  those  present 
as  'Uncle  Philip'),  who  was  standing 
on  the  hearth  and  selecting  from  a  long 
cord  that  was  stretched  across  the  fire- 
place, and  sustained  woolen  mittens, 
yarn  comforters,  and  gaiters,  such  arti- 
cles as  belonged  to  himself  "  Let  the 
menesters  be,  Zeb;  you  have  spoken 
foolishly  enough  to-day,  don't  speak 
profanely.  You  talk  so  loud,  you  make 
my  head  ache ;  and  so  loosely,  you  make 
my  heart  ache." 

"  Well,  I'll  let  them  be  if  you  say  so. 
Uncle,"  replied  the  Pippin.  "  It  is  not 
often  I  take  a  shy  at  a  parson  or  a  crow, 
for  it  ain't  considered  lucky  in  a  gineral 
way.  But  it's  enough  to  set  a  body  rav- 
ing ftiad  to  hear  a  poor  dumb  beast  that 
can't  speak  for  itself  jeered  at  by  a  long- 
necked,  long-backed,  narrow-chested, 
narrow-souled.  wall-eyed,  ongainly  crit- 
tur,  like  that  fellow  Gates  in  the  corner 
there,  ain't  it?  It's  enough  to  try  the 
patience  of  Job,  to  hear  a  man  pass  an 
opinion  that  don't  know  a  horse  from  a 
cow,  except  mat  one  has  horns  and  the 
other  harn't.  Howsomever,  let  all  that 
pass.  Have  you  seen  my  horse.  Uncle 
Philip  ?  because  if  you  haven't,  it's  worth 
your  while  just  to  come  to  the  stables, 
along  with  me  and  Squire  Barclay,  and 
take  a  L  k  at  him.  I  ain't  ashamed  to 
show  him,  I  do  assure  you.  He'd  tell 
you  himself,  if  he  could,  what  sort  of  a 
beast  he  is ;  but  as  it  is,  his  make  and 
parts  must  toll  it  for  him.  Do  you  re- 
collect the  Slocum  uiare  ?  (I  don't  re- 
member whether  it  was  John  or  Cale 
Slocum  raised  her,  but  one  of  them  did.) 


"i  »« 

^  z 

■■      .1, ' 

"I 

'J 


J  ■ 


182 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  t  OR,  LIPR  IN  A  OOLONY. 


./I 


:i^) 


Poor  Diok  Hines  (him  that  afterwards 
owned  the  Circus)  had  her  for  a  spell ; 
and  then  she  went  to  Windsor,  and,  I 
believe,  died  on  the  Monkville  farm  at 
tlie  forks  of  the  river.  Well,  she  waa 
generally  allowed  by  good  judges  to  be 
the  best  of  all  the  desoendants  of  the 
Duke  of  Kent's  Arabian.  Sometimes 
my  horse  Tommy  reminds  me  of  her : 
but,  Lord  bless  you !  she  was  no  sort  of 
a  touch  to  him  in  make,  shape,  or  gait, 
by  no  manner  of  means.  He  can't  talk, 
as  I  said  before,  but  he  can  do  what's 
far  better  in  a  servant ;  he  can  onder- 
stand  all  you  say,  and  do  all  you  want. 
Now  there  was  the  Polhemus  horse,  that 
folks  made  such  a  touss  about ;  why  he 
was  no  more  to  be  compared  to  Tommy 
than  " 

"  Well,  well,"  said  the  old  man,  « I'll 
go  with  you  and  look  at  him  before  I 
leave  the  inn ;  but  I  am  no  judge  of 
these  matters :  so  let  us  change  the  con- 
versation, if  you  please,  till  we  go  to  the 
stables.  How  is  the  old  gentleman, 
your  father?  I  hope  he  enjoys  good 
health  now?" 

"  As  to  father,  he  is  reasonable  well, 
I  give  you  thanks,"  answered  the  Pip- 
pin, "  as  far  as  bodily  health  goes :  but 
he  is  weak  here ;  very  weak,  indeed, 
poor  old  man  I  (patting  his  forehead 
with  his  fingers) — quite  gone  in  the  up- 
per story.  If  you  recollect,  Uncle 
Philip,  he  was  always  a  great  hand  for 
barks,  and  gums,  and  roots,  and  barbs, 
and  simples  of  one  kind  or  another,  and 
did  a  great  deal  of  good  among  his  poor 
neighbors,  saving  them  a  power  of  money 
in  doctors'  bills.  Well,  the  old  gentle- 
man of  late  years  took  a  theory,  as  he 
called  it — a  kind  of  kink — into  his  head, 
that  any  thing  worn  tight  about  the 
body  brought  on  dropsy.  Whenever  he 
met  a  gaK,  ^  used  to  stop  and  shake 
hands  along %ith  her,  and  chat  away  for 
some  time,  and  ask  her  how  she  was, 


or 


and  if  she  erer  had  this,  or  that, 
t'other  comjlunt;  and  then  he'd  press 
his  forefinger  f.trong  on  the  back  of  her 
hand  ;  and,  .'n  course,  if  it  was  a  plump 
hand,  it  would  make  a  kind  of  dent,  and 
li^ok  a  little  white  where  he  pressed  it. 
" '  See,  my  dear,'  he'd  say,  *  you  have 


a  tendency  to  dropsy ;  that  white  mark 
shows  tboro  is  too  much  water  in  the 
blood.  You  bavo  something  or  another 
on  that's  too  tight.  I  hope  you  don't 
laoe  your  stays  too  hard  V' 

"Well,  they'd  satisfy  him  on  that 
soorej  aud  then  he'd  say — 

"<I  know  what  it  isl^and  he'd  make 
a  divo  for  tboir  garters  afore  they  knew 
what  he  was  at. 

"It  got  to  be  quite  a  joke  at  last; 
and  tlio  best  of  the  fun  was,  nobody 
would  holp  the  womonkind  at  all ;  for 
folks  only  laugliod.  and  said  it  was  old 
Daddv  llunt  a  looking  for  garters.  At 
last  the  galls  gave  him  a  pretty  wide 
berth  in  tlie  streets,  out  corners  with 
him,  or  dodged  him  somehow  or  another, 
the  best  way  they  could.  He  actillv 
has  the  matter  of  thirty  or  forty  pair  oiP 
garters  hung  up  in  his  keeping-room, 
that  ho  lias  captured  privateering  that 
way.  Hueli  a  collootion  you  never  seel 
all  colors  of  the  rainbow  a'most — black, 
white,  yeller,  rod,  brown,  blue,  green, 
and  gracious  knows  what,  mude  of  everj 
thing  under  the  sun — tape,  list,  cotton, 
worsted,  knittings,  binding,  yarn,  India 
rubber,  and  e\ory  thing.  I  call  it  his 
Museum  of  Naleral  Curiosities.  The 
old  geutloman  is  very  proud  of  them,  I 
ttHsuro  you ;  for  ovory  pair  of  garters, 
he  says,  represents  a  woman  whose  life 
ho  has  saved." 

"  Woll,  upon  my  word  !"  said  Uncle 
Philip,  '•  you  are  a  pippin  certainly,  to 
toll  suoh  a  story  as  that  of  your  fa- 
ther !  and  a  very  pretty  'pippin,'  too!" 

"  Yes,"  ho  replied,  "  but  I  haven't 
told  you  tho  best  part  of  it  yet." 

"  X  don't  want  to  hear  it,"  said  the 
old  man  ;  "  it  shocks  mo  dreadfully  to 
listen  to  irrovcronoe  to  parents !" 

"  I  toll  you,  Undo,''  he  continued, 
"  there  ain't  tho  leastest  morsel  of  harm 
in  tho  world  in  it :  and  besides,  it  will 
make  you  laugh,  T  know.  Ho  ha.s  ginr, 
up  ohnsitig  artor  garters  now.  The  last 
gall  he  met  and  hud  a  tussol  with  was 
Angolique  d'Euvillo,  a  French  filly  from 
Saint  Mary's  Hay,  O,  she  was  a  sneez- 
er, you  may  dopond !  She  was  used  to 
row  a  punt  cross-lianded  over  the  Briar 
Island,  to  pitch  eel-grass  into  a  boat, 


y  him  on  that 


A  PIPPIN;  OK,  SHEEPSKINS  AND  GARTERS. 


188 


ftod  to  haul  cod-fisli,  and  to  work  in  tho 
open  air ;  and  all  this  exercise  made  her 
as  strong  and  as  springy  as  a  sturgeon. 
She  warn't  overly  tall  or  overly  stout ; 
but  a  rael,  well-built,  well-proportioned 
craft,  as  youM  see  any  where  ;  light  on 
the  foot,  active  in  her  gait  and  as  free 
and  suple  in  her  motion  as  an  Indian : 
kind  of  nateral  ease  and  grace  about 
her.  One  day  she  was  a-coming  along 
the  stre^it  in  Digby,  nearly  opposite  the 
Queen's  Warehouse,  with  her  little  black 
handkerchief  tied  on  her  head  instead 
of  a  bonnet  (for  them  Acadian  French 
have  never  altered  their  dress  for  two 
hundred  years),  and  a  little  short  bod- 
dice,  and  a  homespun  petticoat,  with 
blue  and  white  up-and-down  stripes,  and 
a  puT  of  little  moccasins  on  her  feet  all 
set  o;^  with  beads,  a-tripping  along  like 
a  deer,  when  father  spied  her  and  made 
up  to  her. 

" '  How  do  you  do,  Angelique  ?'  said 
he ;  '  and  how  is  my  kind  and  good 
friend  Freest  Segoyne  ?  A  dear,  wor- 
thy old  man,  that.  Make  much  of  him, 
for  you  will  never  see  the  like  of  him 
again.  And  how  is  Joe  Joppy  V  (his 
name  warr  t  Joppy,  but  Le  Blano,  for 
they  always  call  each  other  by  nick- 
names) ;  'and  what  has  become  of  Jen- 
nie, that  galloped  his  horse  through  a 
heretic  congregation,  as  he  called  them, 
and  nearly  killed  an  old  woman  V  and 
ever  so  many  other  questions. 

"  At  last  he  pressed  his  finger  hard 
on  the  back  of  her  hand,  and  it  left,  as 
usual,  a  white  dent. 

" '  Dear  me,  Angelique,'  said  he,  *  you 
have  got  the  dropsy !' 

"  Well,  she  half  colored  up,  and  half 
flared  up  ;  and  she  said  he  was  a  foolish 
old  man,  and  was  for  making-tracks ; 
but  he  held  on  to  her  hand  as  tight  as 
a  foz-trap. 

"'  How  is  your  stays  ?"  says  he. 

"She  just  turned  to  and  jabbered 
away  ever  so  fast  in  French  about  main- 
stays, jib-stays,  and  bob-stays,  and  of 
being  thrown  in  slays  and  missing  stays, 
and  I  don't  know  what,  for  she  know 
every  rope  and  manoeuvre  of  a  shallop  ; 
but  as  for  a  woman's  stays,  she  never 


heard  of  them,  and  didn't  believe  there 
were  such  things. 

"  '  What  service  could  they  be,  and 
what  could  they  bo  fastened  to  ?'  ihe 
asked.  '  What  ia  the  use  of  a  stay,  if  ii 
is  stayed  to  nothing  V 

" '  Ah,'  said  he, '  then  it  must  be  them 
cussed  garters  I'  and  he  made  a  plunge 
at  her  ankles  and  petticoats ;  but  she 
was  too  nimble  for  him,  and,  being  prop- 
erly frightened,  she  drew,  and  let  him 
have  it  slap  bang  on  the  nose,  so  as  to 
break  the  bridge  of  it ! 

" '  Take  that,'  said  she, '  you  old  vil- 
lain !' 

"  Father  he  got  his  Ebenezer  up,  too  , 
and,  forgetting  he  was  contending  with 
a  woman,  hit  back  right  and  left,  hard 
and  heavy ;  and  the  poor  thing  put  both 
her  hands  up  to  her  eyes,  and  cried,  and 
sobbed,  and  gin  in,  and  stood  for  him. 
When,  lo  and  behold,  she  had  neither 
stockings  nor  garters  on !  nothing  but  a 
short  pair  of  ribbed  cotton  socks  that 
she  had  knit  herself !  It  was  a  great 
take  in,  you  may  depend.  But  that 
wasn't  the  end  of  it.  He  warn't  clear 
of  the  scrape  yet.  Angclique's  step- 
father was  a  little  fellow  about  knee- 
high  to  a  goose  (what  they  call  a  '  tot,' 
for  his  father  and  mother  were  cousins, 
and  his  grandfather  and  grandmother, 
too,  and  so  were  their  sires  and  dams 
for  three  generations  up).  He  was  all 
jaw  and  bluster ;  and  when  he  heard 
the  story,  he  hopped  and  jumped  about 
like  a  parched  pea,  and  swore  a  whole 
lot  of  oaths,  every  bit  as  big  and  twice 
as  ugly  as  himself  Next  day  he  locked 
the  house-door,  and  the  whole  family 
came  down  to  Digby  to  Squire  Her- 
ring's for  law,  for  the  French  are  great 
hands  for  going  to  court ;  and  when  I 
seed  them  a-going  into  his  office,  I  joined 
the  party  to  see  the  sport.  Well,  per- 
haps there  ain't  in  all  Nova  Scotia  a  man 
that's  so  taken  by  beauty  as  Lawyer 
Herring.  The  sight  of  a  handsome  wo- 
man sets  him  off  a-raving  for  an  hour. 
He  makes  such  a  touss  about  them, 
you'd  think  he  never  saw  one  afore  in 
all  his  life.  Well,  he  had  heard  of  An- 
gelique, but  never  seen  her;   and  he 


''*' ■*  *'" 


Mil 


♦«»>' 


4;,  ' 

.,»«    I, 

k  '\ 

I- 

1 


164 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY 


i:-^* 


i 


If  ^ 


wtnt  lip  to  lipr  and  shook  hands  along 
*rUh  Iter,  nti(l  «ot  her  down  opposite  to 
hlffl,  and  undid  the  handkerchief  that 
went  ovvr  hot  head  and  was  tied  under 
the  chill,  f'li  ns  to  .H(>(  'he  hruiscs;  and 
he  wnN  (ttruok  up  all  oi  a  heap  in  a  min- 
ute, »<lift  wax  BO  amazing  good-looking. 
Her  hair,  Inntoad  of  being  done  up  with 
oofflbrt,  or  plaits,  or  ringlets,  was  om 
mail  (if  nateral  curls,  about  three  oi 
four  lnrhp«  long,  the  spleiididest  thing 
f'vor  n^cu  under  the  blessed  light  of 
Iieavoii ,  cri'!  when  she  spoke,  and  her 
oyei  Itt  on  and  sparkled,  and  her  pout- 
ing mouth  whowed  her  two  rows  of  ivory, 
nUi)  Wtti  something  to  look  at  you  don't 
wo  6\ery  day  I  tell  you.  As  for  law- 
yer, he  didn't  hoar  a  word  she  spoke, 
neither  did  he  know  what  he  said  him- 
Mlf,  for  ha  wan  lost  in  amazement  like, 
and  began  thinking  uloud. 

"'Good  heavens!'  he  said,  'what  a 
•trilting  womun!'  Bu  ho  vowed  she 
w»<  BOt ;  site  declared  by  all  the  saints 
(and  she  had  a  strio':^  of  them,  as  long 
M  A  deadlottflv  list)  ^he  never  struck  a 
perion  in  .ill  her  life  before,  and  wouldn't 
nave  hit  tho  old  man  if  he  hadn't  a-be- 
hared  m  very  ondecent  to  her.  She. 
•aid,  «hd  wasn't  hurt  so  bad,  ahe  didn't 
Bee'l  it ;  or  take  her  out  of  the  sun  and 
bleoeh  her,  and  restore  ^isr  complex  nu  ; 
ahe  aaid  ho  was  mistaken,  she  didn't 
COfflplftin  of  such  serious  injury,  but 
r-'y  of  tho  insult.  Then  he  threw  his 
'^  to  the  ceiling,  meditating  like, 
.  :^  Bome  scheme  of  taking  her 
t-  '  !■  '^  halter-breaking  her,  and 
!•»  ■■:' '  t  .jf  home;  but  all  at  once, 
wakt..  Ae,  as  if  it  was  nothing  but 

a  irean.,  he  said,  'but  then  she  sits 
V.  i«-legged  on  tho  floor,  and  eats  olanfs 
OU.  of  an  iron  pot  with  her  fingers !' 

" '  iir,'  Kttld  she, '  I  don't  understand 
what  you  mean  I' 

"  *  Go  on,  my  dear,'  said  he  ;  and  she 
fliiUhed  hor  story, 

*''Phoo,  phool'  said  lawyer,  'never 
mind;  it's  only  old  Daddy  Hunt's  way ; 
fle'H  childish  now,  nobody  minds  him!' 
and  he  pliooli-phoohed  the  whole  family 
out  of  nln  oftico.  Just  as  Angelique, 
who  was  tho  last  that  departed,  was 
leaying  tho  room,  he  called  her  back. 


'  Angelique,'  says  he, '  I  lost  the  pin  that 
fa.stened  your  handkerchief,'  and  taking 
a  gold  one  with  a  ruby  in  it  from  hia 
breast,  ho  secured  the  two  ends  with  it. 

"What  he  did  arter  that,  I  don't 
know ;  but  I  heard  a  shuffling  of  feet 
behind  the  door,  like  people  waltzing, 
and  presently  I  heard  something  that 
sounded  amazing  like  a  sound  box  on 
'Ma  ear ;  and  out  came  Angelique, 
laughing  and  looking  as  wide  awake  and 
as  pleased  as  fun.  Well,  that  affair 
curnd  father  of  that  whim  of  chasing 
galls  for  garters  to  save  them  from  the 
dropsy.  Now  he  has  another  crotchet 
in  his  head." 

"  I  didn't  ask  you,"  said  the  old  man, 
with  some  asperity  of  manner,  "  about 
your  father's  occupations,  but  how  he 
was.  Pray  how  is  my  old  friend,  your 
mother  ?  she  must  now  be  well  up  in 
years     I  hope  she  enjoys  good  health  ?" 

"  Pretty  well,"  replied  Master  Zeb; 
"  pretty  much  as  usual ;  she  is  about 
and  stirring,  though  she  complains  a  lit- 
tle of  rheumatism  lately,  which  father 
swears  is  all  owing  to  her  having  worn 
h'T  garters  too  tight  when  she  was  a 
gull :  but  my  opinion  is,  it  was  '  Chiok, 
chick,  vhick!'  that  caused  it." 

"  Ohick,  chick,  chick !"  said  the  other ; 
"  what  ocder  the  sun's  that  ?  I  never 
heard  of  tuch  a  complaint !" 

"  Lord  bless  you !"  said  Zeb.  "  I 
thought  that  every  body  that  know'd 
mother,  know'd  that  story.  Five  yean 
ago  come  next  summer,  the  old  lady 
made  a  trip  to  Halifax,  in  one  of  our 
Digby  coasters,  to  see  sister  Susannah 
that  is  married  in  that  city  to  Ted  Fow- 
ler, the  upholsterer,  and  took  a  whole 
lot  of  little  notions  with  her  to  market 
to  bear  expenses ;  for  she  is  a  saving 
kind  of  body  is  mother,  and  likes  to 
make  two  ends  meet  at  the  close  of  the 
year.  Among  the  rest  was  the  world 
and  all  of  eggs,  for  she  was  a  grand 
hand  in  a  poultry-yard.  Some  she 
stowed  away  in  boxes,  and  some  i& 
baskets,  and  some  in  tubs,  so  that' no 
one  accident  could  lose  them  all  for 
her.  Well,  under  the  berths  in  the 
cabin  were  large  drawers  for  bedding; 
and  she  routated  that  out,  and  packed 


a 


jhem  fu 
you  plea 
rovago. 
calms, 
and  wor 
town 
got  he  I' 
began  tc 
landing 
out  hop] 
the  cabii 
about  n-( 
like  any 

"'Wei 
mother, 
ture  of  d 
is  no  mo 
rorld  tha 
aud  she  ( 
a  second 
chick  I 
she  pulle 
loor  was 
heat  and  < 
ill  the  e^ 
hot  drawe: 

''0, 
ind  sailor 
ilother  w 
makes  on( 
set  folks  oj 
my  body  ', 
self,  would] 
all'/  for  sc 
toman ;  bi 
nothing  le 
wd  crying 
bve  saved 
•Well,t 
ihe  liked  1 
ioo;  it  was 
ler.  But 
(fhen  she 
Kgby  got  1 
rer  she  we 
Chiok,  chi< 


the  pin  that 
,'  and  taking 
it  from  his 
ends  with  it. 
bat,  I   don't 
iffling  of  feet 
pie  waltzing, 
nething  that 
)und  box  on 
I    Angelique, 
,de  awake  and 
1,  that  affair 
u  of  chasing 
em  from  the 
ther  crotchet 

I  the  old  man, 
inner,  "  about 
I,  but  how  he 
a  friend,  your 
be  well  up  in 
good  health?" 
Master  Zeb; 
;  she  is  about 
lomplaina  a  lit- 
f,  which  father 
r  having  worn 
hen  she  was  a 
it  was '  Chick, 
i  it." 

said  the  other ; 
lal  I  I  never 
!" 

aid  Zeb.     "I 
that  know'd 
r.    Five  years 
the  old  lady 
in  one  of  our 
iter  Susannah 
by  to  Ted  Fow- 
took  a  whole 
her  to  market 
lio  is  a  saving 
and  likes  to 
le  close  of  the 
■as  the  world 
was  a  grand 
Some    she 
and   sorae^  it 
|bs,  so  that'  no 
them  all  for 
terths  in  the 
for  bedding; 
t,  and  packed 


A  PIPPIN ;  OR,  SHEEPSKINS  AND  GARTERS. 


185 


ihera  full  of  o{!'ii^  in  wool,  as  snuj;  as 
you  pleaso,  and  ofF  they  started  on  their 
Toyagc.  \Vcll,  they  had  nothing  but 
calms,  and  liglit  airs,  or  head  winds, 
and  wore  ever  so  long  in  getting  to 
town ,  and  when  they  anchored,  she 
got  her  i1u(1h  gathered  together,  and 
began  to  collect  lier  eggs  all  ready  for 
landing  The  fir,'<t  drawer  she  opened, 
out  hopped  ever  so  many  chickens  on 
the  cabin  floor,  skipping  and  hopping 
about  n-chirping  '  Chick,  chick,  chick  I' 
I  like  any    liing! 

'"Well,  if  that  don't  beat  all  I'  said 
[mother,  and  nhe  looked  the  very  pic- 
ture of  doleful  dumps.  '  I  hope  there 
is  no  more  of  them  acoming  into  the 
forld  that  way  without  being  sent  for !' 
aud  she  opened  a  second,  and  out  came 
a  second  fliook,  with  a  '  Chick,  chick, 
I  chick  I'  and  another,  and  another,  till 
pulled  them  all  out.  The  cabin- 
lloor  was  chock  full  of  them,  for  the 
1  heat  and  confined  bilge  air  had  hatched 
I  til  the  eggs  that  were  in  the  close  and 
I  hot  drawers. 

0,  the  captain,  and  passengers, 
lind  sailors,  they  roared  with  laughter  I 
lUother  was  awful  mad,  for  nothing 
I  makes  one  so  angry  as  accidents  that 
[set  folks  off  a  tee-hee-ing  that  way.  If 
hay  body  had  been  to  blame  but  her- 
helf,  wouldn't  they  have  caught  it,  that's 
M'i  for  scolding  is  a  great  relief  to  a 
Ivoman ;  but  as  there  warn't,  there  was 
liiothing  left  but  to  cry;  and  scolding 
Imd  crying  are  two  safety-vailves,  that 
Ibre  saved  many  a  heart  from  busting. 
'■  Well,  the  loss  was  not  gfeat,  though 
he  liked  to  take  care  of  her  coppers, 
loo;  it  was  the  vexation  that  worried 
ler.  But  the  worst  was  to  come  yet. 
I^fhen  she  returned  home,  the  boys  to 
Digby  got  hold  of  tl  e  story  ;  and  wher- 
kver  she  went,  they  called  out  after  her, 
IChiok,  chick,  chick  r    I  skinned  about 


half-a-dozen  of  the  little  imps  of  mis- 
chief for  it,  but  it  only  made  them 
worse  ;  for  they  hid  in  porches,  and  be- 
hind doors,  and  gates,  and  fences,  as 
soon  as  they  seed  her  acoming,  and 
roared  out  '  Chick,  chick,  chick !'  and 
nearly  bothered  her  to  death.  So  she 
give  up  going  out  any  more,  and  never 
leaves  home  now.  It's  my  opinion  her 
rheumatism  is  nothing  but  the  effect  of 
want  of  exercise,  and  all  comes  from 
that  cursed  '  Chick,  chick,  chick !'  " 

"  Well,  well,"  said  the  old  man,  "  you 
are  a  pippin,  certainly,  to  tell  such  dis- 
respectful stories  as  these  of  your  pa- 
rents !  Give  my  respects  to  them  when 
you  return  home — that  is,  if  ever  you 
do  get  home — and  tell  them  you  are  a 
crfc^it  to  your  broughtens  up !'' 

"\7hat  do  you  mean  by  saying,  if 
ever  I  do  return  home  ?" 

"  I  moan  this,  young  man.  The  road 
you  are  travelling  is  a  short  one ;  but, 
short  as  it  is,  it  has  two  turns  in  it — 
one  leads  to  the  Penitentiary,  and  the 
other  to  the  gallows!  The  fruit  they 
both  bear  are  '  pippins,'  like  you !"  and 
he  left  the  room. 

«  Well,"  said  Zebulun,  "  that's  what 
I  call  good,  now!  There  ain't  a  man 
travels  this  road  fonder  of  a  good  story 
than  Uncle  Philip.  The  old  canting 
hypocrite  will  recollect  every  syllable  I 
have  said,  and  will  repeat  it  all  over, 
word  for  word.  I  think  I  see  him 
a  sitting  down  with  his  old  cronies,  in 
a  chimney-corner,  a-smoking  of  his  pipe, 
and  a-saying, '  Do  you  know  that  poor, 
thoughtlesa,  reckless  boy,  Zeb  Hunt^ 
Well,  I'll  tell  you  a  story  of  him  that 
will  astonish  you,  and  make  your  hair 
stand  an  end !'  and  he'll  turn  up  the 
whites  of  his  eyes  like  a  dying  calf,  and 
edify  them  by  relating  all  about  'A 
Pippin ;  or,  Sheepskins  and  Garters.' ' 


IB,  im 
ft 


;^t 


JW. 


^  mi 

it ' 


•  t' 


'•f" 


•Hi 


i       '■ 


"-^ 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


I 


1^12^8     |25 

no   *^™     MM^I 

u^  1^   12.2 
2.0 


HI 

L25  III  U   116 


Hiotographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MSSO 

(716)  S72-4S03 


i\ 


k 


o 


-   < 


i\ 


^io 


'ij 


-ill:.    ' 

>/:■  it 


HORSE-SHOE   COVE;  OR,  HUFEISEN   BUCHT. 


.^Ji,.'? 


i.f. 


■ft 


Mr-''. 


if  'Mil' 


I  HAVE  bien  a  good  deal  stmok  of 
hto  with  the  difference  between  that 
portion  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  esta- 
blished here  and  the  parent  stock.  You 
hear  the  same  language,  you  see  the 
same  dress,  and,  in  the  large  towns,  you 
associate  with  people  whose  general 
habits  and  usages  of  society  are  similar, 
and,  at  a  superficial  view,  are  apt  to  con- 
clude that  you  are  among  your  own 
countrymen.  A  closer  inspection  and 
a  more  intimate  knowledge  of  them 
soon  undeceive  you ;  and  the  more  you 
know  of  them,  the  greater  does  the  dif- 
ference appear.  The  western  half  of 
Nova  Scotia  is  mainly  peopled  by  the 
descendants  of  old  colonists,  with  a 
slight  intermixture  of  Scotch,  and  emi- 
grants from  the  north  of  Ireland.  With 
the  exception  of  a  county  settled  by 
Germans  and  a  township  by  French 
Acadians,  this  population  may  now  be 
said  to  be  homogeneous.  Throughout 
it  there  is  an  individuality  not  to  be 
found  in  England.  There  are  no  ham- 
lets, no  little  rural  villages,  no  collection 
of  houses  but  for  the  purpose  of  .trade  ; 
and,  of  course,  there  is  no  mutual  de- 
pendence for  assistance  or  defence.  No 
system  of  landlord  and  tenant,  of  farmer 
and  cotter,  and  consequently,  no  motive 
or  duty  to  protect  and  encourage  on  the 
one  hand,  or  to  conciliate  and  sustain 
on  the  other.  No  material  difference 
iu  rank  or  fortune,  except  in  the  capital, 
and  hence  no  means  to  direct  or  even 
to  influence  opinion ;  and,  above  all,  no 
unity  iu  religious  belief,  and,  therefore, 
no  one  temple  iu  which  they  can  all 
worship  together  and  offer  up  their 
united  vrayers  and  thanksgivings  as 
mafa^ji^',*  of  one  great  family  to  their 


common  Father  in  heaven.      Intereat, 
therefore,  predominates  over  affection. 
&nd  the  ties  of  friendship  are  weak. 
Every  one  lives  by  himself  and  for  him- 
self    People  dwell  on  their  own  pro- 
perties at  a  distance  from  each  other, 
and  every  household  constitutes  its  own 
little  world  ;  but  even  here  the  habit  of 
early  migration  from  the  parental  roof^ 
and  a  total  want  of  local  attachment, 
added  to  a  strong  and  confident  feeling 
of  self-reliance,  weaken  the  force  of  j 
domestic  love,  and  the  heart  suffera 
Woman,  we  are  told,  was  made  for  man ;  J 
but,  alas!  man  in  America  was  made 
for  himself.     He  is  independent  of  the 
world,  and  can  do  without  it.     He  is  I 
full  of  expedients,  and  able  to  support  I 
himself    He  can  and  often  does  remove  i 
far  into  the  depths  of  the  forest,  where.  [ 
alone  and  unaided,  he  erects  his  own) 
house  and  ministers  to  his  own  wants. 

While  discoursing  on  this  subjectl 
with  the  judge,  he  told  me  the  followingi 
interesting  story,  illustrative  of  thiil 
sort  of  isolated  life,  and  of  the  habits  of  | 
lone  settlerS^in  the  wilderness. 

'As  the  scene  of  the  tale  I  am  aboati 
to  narrate  to  you  is  on  the  La  Haira 
river,  I  must  first  inform  you  how  andj 
by  whom  that  part  of  the  country  vai 
settled.  Halifax  was  built  it  1749J 
As  soon  as  it  was  capable  of  receiviq 
and  sheltering  more  than  its  o\«u  popii| 
lation,  2,000  persons  were  induced 
emigrate  thither  from  Holland  anil 
Germany,  and,  in  1 753,  were  settled ; 
an  adjacent  outpoi  ■',  to  which" they  gavj 
the  name  of  Lunenburg.  The  privaT 
tions,  sufferings,  and  dangers  eucuuul 
tcred  by  these  poor  foreigners  defy  lill 


with 
and 


tnal 
were 
A; 
notw 
some 


HORSE-SHOE  COVE ;  OR,  HUFEISEN  BUCHT. 


187 


J!ii 


the  tale  I  am  abouU 
is  on  the  La  Haivel 
nform  you  how  anil 

of  the  country  waJ 
was  built  it  17491 
japable  of  receivinj 
e  than  ita  ovupopa 
ma  were  induced  t 
from    Holland   an( 

753,  were  a^ttleJ  i 
.,,  to  which" they  gav 
enburg.  The  piiva 
,nd  dangers  encouu 
)r  foreigners  defy  i 


ddsciiption.  At  that  time  Canada, 
Prince  Edward's  Island,  and  Cape  Bre- 
ton were  in  possession  of  the  French, 
while  the  most  fertile  parts  of  Nova 
Seotia  were  occupied  by  their  country- 
men, who  were  permitted  to  retain  their 
property  upon  a  promise  of  neutrality, 
which  they  found  themselves  unable  to 
perform.  The  Indians,  who  were  then 
very  numerous  and  very  hostile  (for 
they  had  been  instructed  that  the  Eng- 
lish and  their  allies  were  the  people 
who  had  crucified  their  Saviour),  wete 
wholly  devoted  to  their  interest,  and 
bent  on  exterminating  the  intruders. 
The. inhabitants  had  no  sooner  erected 
their  buildings,  than  they  found  their 
situation  so  dangerous  that  they  were 
obliged  to  construct  rlne  blockhouses 
for  their  defence,  and  inclose  the  town 
and  settlement  with  a  high  and  strong 
picked  fence.  Notwithstanding  these 
precautions,  the  savages  managed  to 
kill,  scalp,  or  make  prisoners  of  many 
of  them,  and  the  operations  of  agricul- 
ture were  wholly  suspended.  Cruelty 
usually  begets  cruelty,  and  the  governor 
of  the  province  offered  a  reward  of  £30 
for  every  male  Indian  prisoner  above 
sixteen  years  of  age,  and  £25  for  his 
loalp,  and  a  proportionable  bounty  for 
women  and  children  when  brought  in, 
alive  or  dead. 

Such  was  the  desperate  condition  of 
these  poor  emigrants  until  1760,  when 
the  French  possessions  on  this  part  of 
the  continent  passed  into  the  hands  of 
the  English.  So  great'-faad  been  the 
depredations  of  their  enemies,  that  the 
population  of  Lunenburg  had  only  in- 
creased to  the  extent  of  seven  souls  in 
as  many  years.  In  1761  the  Indians 
entered  into  a  formal  treaty  of  peace 
with  the  local  government  at  Halifax, 
and  the  hatchet  was  buried  with  much 
ceremony,  and  under  a  salute  from  the 
butteries,  in  a  grave  that  bad  been  mu- 
tually prepared  for  it  by  those  who 
were  to  be  benefited  by  its  sepulture. 

After  that  period  the  Germans  (for, 
notwithstanding  the  Belgio  origin  of 
some  of  them,  they  have  always  been 
known  by  that  name)  began  to  settle  on 
difiEerent  parts  of  the  sea-shore  and  the 


borders  of  rivers,  where  the  land  was 
fertile  or  the  harbor  inviting ;  lor,  in 
the  absence  of  all  roads,  they  could  only 
communicate  with  the  capital  by  means 
of  coasting  vessels. 

Among  those  that  strayed  to  the 
greatest  distance  was  Nicholas  Spohr. 
He  explored  the  La  Haive  (a  river  about 
seven  miles  to  the  southward  of  Lunen- 
burg), which,  during  the  greater  part 
of  the  preceding  century,  had  been  fTe> 
quented  by  fishing  vessels  from  France, 
to  the  master  of  one  of  whiuh  it  was 
indebted  for  its  name,  which  it  still 
retains.  It  is  one  of  the  largest  and 
most  beautiful  rivers  in  this  country, 
which  it  nearly  intersects.  At  its 
mouth  there  are  a  number  of  islands  of 
great  beauty  and  fertility,  forming  well- 
sheltered  and  safe  anchorage  grounds, 
which,  tradition  says,  were  in  the  olden 
time  the  hiding-places  of  pirates ;  and 
that  venerable  chronicler,  *'  the  oldest 
inhabitant,"  whispers,  were  more  re- 
cently the  resort  of  privateers. 

Several  miles  above  the  entrance 
Nicholas  discovered  a  part  of  the  river 
which,  by  an  enlargement  in  a  semi- 
circular shape,  formed  a  miniature  har- 
bor, nearly  inclosed  and  effectually  con- 
cealed by  two  hooded  promontories,  that 
gave  to  the  cove  a  striking  resemblance 
to  a  horse-shoe.  Here  he  i>«und,  to  his 
astonishment,  a  clearing  that  extended 
to  the  water's  edge,  and  contained  about 
forty  acres  of  land,  in  the  centre  of 
which  was  a  long,  low,  wooden  dwelling- 
house,  which,  with  an  extensive  projec- 
tion in  the  rear,  resembled  the  letter  T. 
On  the  right  was  a  large,  substantial 
warehouse  of  the  same  materials,  and, 
on  the  left,  a  blockhouse  constructed  of 
hewn  timbers,  having  loop-holes  for 
muskets,  and,  on  the  first  floor,  four 
window-shutters  (one  on  each  side),  so 
arranged  as  to  admit  of  the  discharge 
of  a  swivel,  which  was  still  on  its  car- 
riage. Between  this  floor  and  the  roof 
there  was  no  ceiling,  but  the  rafters 
supported  a  bell  of  sufiicient  size  to  be 
heard  across  the  river.  On  the  slope 
towards  the  forest  was  a  square  field  of 
about  one  acre  of  land,  surrounded  by 
very  large  willow?,  and  containing  in 


h 


^^: 


It!(t 


nilotitii 


■if 


118 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I   OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


P>1 


the  centre  some  old  apple  treei?,  planted 
BO  closely  together  tbut  their  limbs  were 
entangled  one  with  the  other.  This 
inolosure  had  originally  heen  laid  out 
as  a  garden,  and  bore  evident  marks  of 
taste  as  well  as  care.  The  walks  could 
still  be  traced  by  low  edgings,  which 
had  grown  wild  from  neglect,  by  currant 
and  gooseberry-bushes,  and  rose-trees, 
and  sweet-briars,  that  now  contended 
with  tall  rank  grass  for  sufficient  air 
and  light  to  support  life.  Near  the  en- 
trance was  an  arbor,  built  over  a  bub- 
bling spring  of  the  purest  water,  and  so 
completely  covered  by  a  luxuriant  wood- 
bine as  effectually  to  exclude  the  rays 
of  the  sun.  A  massive  rustic  table,  and 
seats  of  the  same  strong  material,  evinced 
that  it  was  designed  for  use  as  well  as 
ornament.  On  the  former  were  rudely 
caryed  many  initials,  and  several  names 
at  full  length,  among  which  those  of 
Charles  Etienne  Latour  and  Francis 
d'Entrement  occurred  more  than  once.* 
On  a  corner  of  the  table  two  clasped 
hands  were  neatly  but  deeply  out  in  the 
wood  ;  and  underneath  the  words  Pierre 
and  Madeline,  1740.  As  if  the  cause 
of  the  latter  inscription  were  not  obvi- 
ous enough,  poor  Pierre  left  a  record 
that  it  Iras  occasioned  by  the  recollection 
of  "the  girl  he  left  behind  him  ;"  for  he 
added  those  words  of  Ovid,  "  Scribere 
jussit  amor." 

This  secluded  and  deserted,  but  ro- 
mantic place,  was  one  of  extraordinary 
beauty.  It  appeared  like  the  work  of 
magio  to  the  poor  bewildered  Nicholas ; 
but,  what  was  of  far  more  consequence 
to  him  than  its  loveliness,  it  was  a  dis- 
covery of  immense  value.  He,  there- 
fore,  proceeded  immediately  to  Halifax, 
and  obtained  a  grant  of  1000  acres  of 
land,  the  boundaries  of  which  ":  .so 
described  in  his  patent  as  to  joe 

this  important  property,  to  whuu  he 
gave  the  very  appropriate  nauie  of  Huf- 
eisen  Bucht,  or  Horse-shoe  Gove. 

To    account    for    these    r->markable 

•  The  former  had  a  grant  from  the  King  of 
Prance  of  the  whole  country  on  both  sidea  of  the 
La  Halve,  from  its  moutli  to  its  source.  Some 
of  the  descendants  nf  (he  latter  are  still  residing 
in  this  provincf  near  Yarmouth. 


erections  and  extensive  clearings  it  ig 
necessary  to  inform  you  that,  from  the 
year  1606  to  1710,  this  province  wag 
constantly  changing  owners.  At  every 
rupture  between  the  French  and  Eng- 
lish, all  the  trading  posts  of  the  former 
(in  Nova  Scotia,  or  Acadie,  as  it  was 
then  called)  were  destroyed,  and  at 
every  treaty  of  peace  the  country  was 
restored  to  its  original  proprietors. 
The  English  contented  themselves  with 
damaging  the  enemy,  but  made  no  at- 
tempt to  penetrate  into  the  interior,  or 
to  form  settlements.  The  establish- 
ment at  the  entrance  of  the  river  La 
Halve  had  been  several  times  burned 
down,  and  a  great  deal  of  valuable  prop- 
erty carried  off  by  the  provincials  of 
Boston.  To  avoid  the  repetition  of 
such  ruinous  losses  the  French  selected 
this  secluded  spot,  several  miles  further 
up  the  stream,  for  the  purpose  of  stor- 
ing and  secreting  their  furs,  and  of  Eu- 
ropean goods  for  supplying  the  Indians, 
while  fish  and  salt  were  alone  kept  at 
the  lower  post.  Nothing  could  have 
been  better  suited  for  the  purpose  of 
concealment  than  this  cove,  which  wai 
not  discernible  from  the  river,  and 
could  only  be  approached  by  boats 
through  a  narrow  and  winding  entrance, 
nearly  hidden  by  overhanging  trees. 
It  is  no  wonder,  therefore,  that  Nicho- 
las was  astonished  and  overjoyed  at  the 
discovery;  and,  as  soon  as  his  grant 
received  the  governor's  signature,  he 
removed  his  family  thither,  and  took 
possession  of  "the  Hufeisen  Bucht." 
His  joy.  was  great  but  silent,  for  hia 
heart  moved  more  rapidly  than  hia 
tongue.  He  gave  vent  to  his  pleasure 
in  long-protracted  puffs  of  tobacco.  He 
walked  round  and  round  the  premises, 
contemplating  the  magnitude  of  the 
buildings,  the  value  of  the  land,  the 
beauty  of  the  orchard,  and  the  strength 
of  the  fort,  as  he  called  the  blockhousa 
He  seldom  spoke  to  any  member  of  his 
family,  and  then  only  to  issue  some  iti- 
dispensable  order.  Once  or  twice  aa 
he  entered  the  house  he  kicked  his  dog 
for  not  rising  up  respectfully  when  the 
great  landowner  approached.  He  ato 
bttt  little,  and  drank  rather  more  than 


ill 


HORSE-SHOE  COYEt  OR,  HUFEISEM  BUCHT. 


189 


asaal.  He  oould  not  comprehend  at 
one  view  the  whole  extent,  of  his  import- 
ance, but  evinced  every  tiay  that  he 
was  gradually  beginning  to  appreciate 
it  He  was  observed  to  take  up  the 
horn  mug  which  he  generally  used,  and 
throw  it  with  great  contempt  into  the 
corner  of  the  room,  and,  by  a  mute  sig- 
nal, called  for  an  old  silver  one  (that 
had  descended  to  him   through  three 

Scnerations),  as  better  suited  to  the 
ignity  of  his  new  station.  His  atti- 
j^ude  in  sitting  was  much  changed.  In- 
stead of  the  easy  and  natural  position 
that  bespeaks  a  man  wholly  unoccupied, 
his  legs  were  stretched  out  to  their  full 
extent,  his  head  thrown  back,  and  his 
eyes  directed  to  the  ceiling,  to  which 
he  offered  the  continued  incense  of  to- 
bacco fumes.  Now  and  then  he  was 
heard  to  utter  the  name  of  some  gentle- 
man at  Lunenburg,  as  Rudolph,  Yon 
Zwicker,  or  Oxner,  who  had  belonged 
to  good  families  in  their  own  country ; 
and  when  he  did  it  was  with  a  scornful 
air,  and  the  word  was  followed  by  a  con- 
temptuous grunt  and  an  uplifting  of 
the  right  foot,  as  if  he  felt  entitled  now 
to  look  down  upon  his  betters,  and 
would  like  to  give  them  an  intelligible 
hint  of  his  superiority.  His  family 
went  about  their  usual  employments  in 
their  accustomed  manner,  but  Nicholas 
had  as  much  as  he  could  do  in  going 
bis  continued  rounds  and  in  digesting 
his  unceasing  admiration.  His  costume 
underwent  a  change  no  less  striking 
than  his  iftanuers.  He  discarded  his 
old  apparel,  and  dressed  him.'^elf  in  a 
suit  which  had  hitherto  been  preserved 
with  great  care  for  Sundays  or  holi- 
days. Instead  of  his  working  cap  he 
mounted  a  beautiful  low-crowned,  broad- 
brimmed  beaver  hat ;  his  best  double- 
breasted  coat  of  blue  Saxon  cloth,  with 
its  long  waist,  spacious  skirts,  and  im- 
mense gilt  buttons,  the  brilliancy  of 
which  had  been  preserved  by  woollen 
covers  when  not  used ;  his  fine  red 
cloth  waistcoat,  with  its  square  flaps 
and  pewter  buttons ;  his  black  breeches 
and  dark-ribbed  stockings,  and,  above 
all,^  his  silver  knee  and  shoe-buckles 
which  had  belonged  to  his  grandfather, 


the  huntsman  of  the  great  duke  his 
master.  His  best  pipe  was  doomed  to 
do  daily  duty,  instead  of  gracing  festi- 
vals as  heretofore.  It  was  a  costly  ar- 
ticle, for  it  had  a  silver  cover,  and  its 
spacious  bowl  held  twice  as  much  to- 
bacco as  a  common  one,  while  its  long 
wooden  handle,  tipped  with  ivory,  be- 
spoke the  ease  and  affluence  of  its 
owner. 

Thus  attired,  carrying  the  valuable 
pipe  in  his  left  hand,  and  a  cane  with  a 
horn  head  curiously  carved  in  the  other, 
Nicholas  slowly  performed  his  incessant 
perambulations.  But  man  is  a  gross 
creature.  He  cannot  live  on  love,  or 
subsist  on  air. .  He  requires  food.  The 
animal  predominates  over  the  spiritual 
nature.  Nicholas  was  recalled  to  these 
mean  considerations  by  the  fact  that, 
although  his  house  was  large,  there  was 
no  bread  in  it;  and  his  cup,  though 
made  of  silver,  wanted  sufficient  schei- 
dam  to  fill  it,  small  as  it  was.  With 
great  reluctance,  therefore,  and  a  feel- 
ing very  nearly  resembling  that  of  de- 
gradation, he  condescended  to  lay  aside 
his  new  rank  for  a  while  and  go  to  Ha- 
lifax, with  his  two  sons,  and  his  shallop, 
to  buy  provisions  for  his  family.  On 
taking  leave  of  his  wife,  he  attempted 
an  awkward  imitation  of  a  ceremonious 
bow,  and  kissed  her  hand  with  an  air 
of  gallantry,  for  which  he  was  very  pro- 
perly rewarded  by  his  indignant  tran 
with  a  substantial  box  on  the  ear.  If 
he  had  lost  his  senses,  there  was  no  oc- 
casion, she  thought,  for  him  to  lose  hia 
heart;  and  she  was  unwilling  to  ex- 
change the  warm  and  affectionate  em- 
brace, to  which  she  had  been  accustom- 
ed, for  cold,  unmeaning  buffoonery  like 
this.  The  wind  being  fair,  he  set  sail 
with  his  two  boys,  and  accomplished  the 
voyage  of  sixty  miles  in  the  incredible 
short  space  of  three  days,  and  returned 
again  with  equal  speed  to  feast  his  eyes 
once  more  upon  his  new  property,  which 
now  appeared  more  spacious  than  ever ; 
for,  with  the  exception  of  government 
buildings  at  Halifax,  there  were  none 
in  that  town  of  equal  size  with  his  own. 

He  was  now  the  proprietor  of  a  lar- 
ger estate  than  he  had  ever  supposed 


* 


f. 


,Vli 


■?l^N 


J 


m 


H 


;** 


.  -I 

♦r 


1 


190 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


I 


it  possible  ho  could  own,  and  of  as 
much  happiness  as  was  at  all  compat- 
ible with  comfort,  or  a  heart  of  common 
size  could  contain  with  safety.  Some- 
times, indeed,  he  would  doubt  the  real- 
ity, and,  waking  up  in  the  night,  would 
look  out  on  the  tranquil  scene,  and  ask 
himself  whether  it  was  all  as  it  appear- 
ed to  be,  or  only  the  delusion  of  a 
dream.  Every  thing  was  new  to  him. 
The  plaintive  wail  of  the  melancholy 
whip-poor-will ;  the  lonelv  hooting  of  the 
watchful  owl ;  the  wandering,  brilliant 
myriads  of  fire-flies,  that  rejoiced  in  the 
damp  exhalations  of  the  sedgy  brook 
that  flowed  into  the  cove  ;  and  the  wild 
scream  of  the  night-hawk,  as  it  pursued 
with  rapid  and  irregular  flights  the 
winged  insect  tribe,  convinced  him  that 
he  was  awake,  though  in  a  world  of 
wonders — a  stranger  in  a  strange  land ; 
and  he  felt  and  knew  that  he  dwelt  on 
tliat  land,  not  as  a  serf,  or  laborer,  or 
tenant,  but  as  lord  of  the  soil.  He 
would  then  recall  to  his  mind  his  con- 
dition in  his  own  country,  compare  it 
with  his  present  situation,  and  say, 
'*  Gott  ist  gut !"  (God  is  good)  and  re- 
turn to  his  bed  with  a  thankful  heart 
for  all  this  unmerited  and  unlooked-for 
prosperity.  Upon  one  occasion  he 
thought  he  heard  noises  of  a  far  differ- 
ent kind;  rnd,  getting  up,  he  beheld 
from   the  window  one  of  the  wooded 

Sromontories  illumined  with  watch- 
res,  and  dark,  shadowy  forms  passing 
and  re-pa$8ing  between  him  and  the 
strong  red  light.  There  was  nothing 
but  magic  about  him,  but  who  were 
these  magicians  ?  Were  they  the  fair- 
ies that  hnd  erected  the  buildings,  or 
demons  wiio  intended  to  destroy  them? 
He  would  have  liked  to  have  had  neigh- 
bors ;  for  lis  rich  clothes  are  ot  but  lit- 
tle use  if  there  is  no  one  to  see  and  ad- 
mire them,  BO  large  buildings  lose  their 
value  if  there  are  not  smaller  and 
meaner  ones  to  compare  them  with  to 
advantage :  but  he  thought  he  could 
dispense  witli  these  nocturnal  visitors, 
whoever  thoy  might  be. 

Day  dissolved  the  mystery,  and  dis- 
pelled, together  with  his  doubts,  much 
of  bis  peace  of  mind.     They  were  In- 


dians, the  savage  and  cruel  enemies  of 
the  emigrants.     It  is  true  they  were 
then  at  peace  with  the  government,  but 
they  were  a  vindictive  and  treachercui 
people.    The  place  where  they  were  en- 
camped was  an  ancient  burial-ground, 
to  which  they  had  now  resorted  to  de- 
posit  the   body  of  a  deceased    chief 
Their  manner  was  gloomy  and  unfriend- 
ly.    They  evidently  considered  him  an 
intruder,  and  were  at  no  pains  to  con- 
ceal their  dislike.      The  new  sachem 
made  him  a  long  and  animated  speech 
in  Indian,  accompanied  by  some  very 
frightful  gestures,  and  some  flourishes 
of  a  tomahawk  that  made  his  blood  ou^ 
die.     To  this  Nicholas,  who  was  a  man 
of   undaunted    courage,  replied,  with 
much  firmness,  in  an  oration  in  German, 
and  gave  effect  to  several  passages  by 
occasionally  pointing  a  pistol  at  the 
head  of  the  savage  warrior.     These  two 
well-known    weapons    were    the    only 
things  that  were  intelligible,  for  their 
mutual  eloquence  being  altogether  un- 
translatable, was  wholly  useless.     This 
unsocial  visit  lasted  a  week,  when,  the 
funeral  rites  having  been  duly  perform- 
ed, the  unwelcome  guests  disappeared 
as  suddenly  as  they  had  arrived,  and 
Nicholas  was  again  left  in  a  state  of 
tranquillity. 

His  comfort  had  been  much  disturbed 
by  this  event,  but  still  he  was  a  very 
happy  man.  He  was  possessed  of  a 
tl>ou8and  acres  of  land,  covered  with 
valuable  timber,  filled  with  deer  like  a 
park,  and  intersected  with  streams 
abounding  in  salmon,  trout,  herrings, 
smelts,  and  a  variety  of  delicate  and 
excellent  fish.  His  buildings  were>  as 
large  as  those  of  the  steward  of  his  land- 
lord in  his  own  country,  and  he  had 
neither  rent,  taxes,  nor  tithes  to  pay. 
He  had  forty  acres  ready  for  the  plough, 
a  productive  orchard,  and  every  thi^lg 
his  heart  could  desire,  except  money ; 
but  he  had  that  which  would  always 
produce  money,  an  inexhaustible  supply 
of  superior  fuel  for  the  Halifax  market. 
He,  therefore, commenced  a  regular  trade 
in  cord-wood,  a  traffic  which  the  German 
settlers  have  continued  and  monopolized 
to  the  present  day.     This  wood  was  cut 


uel  enemies  of 
rue  they  were 
overnment,  but 
nd  treaohercua 
e  they  were  en- 
burial-ground, 
resorted  to  de- 
Icceased    chief, 
y  and  unfriend- 
sidered  him  an 
10  pains  to  con- 
le  new  sachem 
inimated  speech 
.  by  some  very 
some  flourishes 
ie  his  blood  ou^ 
who  was  a  man 
»,  replied,  with 
btion  in  German, 
ral  passages  by 
&  pistol  at  this 
ior.    These  two 
were    the    only 
ligible,  for  their 
^  altogether  un- 
y  useless.     This 
week,  when,  the 
in  duly  perform- 
ists  disappeared 
ad  arrived,  and 
ft  in  a  state  of 

much  disturbed 
he  was  a  very 
possessed  of  a 
covered  with 
nrith  deer  like  a 


i, 


witii    streams 

trout,  herrings, 

of  delicate  and 

lildings  werei  as 

vard  of  his  land- 

ry,  and  he  had 

tithes  to  pay. 

jr  for  the  plough, 

md  every  thi«g 

except  money ; 

would  always 

laustible  supply 

Halifax  market. 

[d  a  regular  trade 

lich  the  German 

nd  monopolized 

is  wood  was  cut 


HORSE-SHOE  COVEf  OR,HUFBISBN  BUCHT. 


191 


off  of  the  termination  of  the  two  prom- 
ontories that  formed  the  heel  of  the 
Hone-shoe  Cove  ;  and  the  overhanging 
trees  that  concealed  the  entrance  and 
obstructed  the  passage  of  masts  were 
removed,  for  the  double  purpose  of 
enabling  him  to  warp  his  shallop  into 
his  own  beautiful  harbol:,  and  to  expose 
to  the  admiring  eyes  of  all  who  navigat- 
ed the  river  the  spacious  buildings  of 
the  "  Hufeisen  Bucht."  Alas  !  it  was  a 
fatal  ambition  for  poor  Nicholas ;  for, 
in  prostrating  these  ancient  trees,  he 
had  unintentionally  comn^itted  sacri- 
lege, and  violated  the  repose  of  the 
dead, — an  offence  that,  in  all  countries, 
and  in  all  ages,  is  ever  regarded  with 
pious  horror  or  implacable  resentment. 

In  the  autumn  of  1777,  he  was  en- 
gaged as  usual  in  his  coasting  trade; 
and,  in  Ihe  latter  part  of  September, 
had  returned  from  Halifax  with  a  load 
of  provisions  and  stores  for  his  family, 
in  which  he  had  invested  the  proceeds 
of  several  cargoes.  Casting  anchor  at 
the  mouth  of  the  inlet,  he  dressed  him- 
lelf  in  his  best  attire,  and  prepared  to 
land  with  his  two  sons.  He  had  no 
sooner  descended  from  the  side  of  the 
vessel,  and  seated  himself  in  the  stern 
of  the  boat,  than  he  exclaimed — 

**  More  magic !  " 

He  hardly  knew  the  wooded  screen 
that  concealed  his  cove.  The  fairies  had 
been  busy  in  his  absence,  and  so  altered 
the  appearance  of  every  tree,  that  he 
oould  no  longer  distinguish  one  from 
another.  The  maple  had  doffed  its 
green,  and  assumed  a  bright  red  color. 
The  long  pendent  leaves  of  the  sumach 
looked  shrunken,  drooping,  and  yellow. 
The  poplar  had  suddenly  oecome  gray- 
headed,  and  the  ash  had  been  nearly 
stripped  of  its  foliage ;  while  those  mis- 
ofaievous  and  wonderful  little  artists  had 
given  new  tints  and  imparted  new 
shades  to  every  leaf  of  every  tree  and 
every  shrub  of  the  forest.  He  had  never 
beheld  any  thing  like  this  in  his  own 
eountry.  He  had  observed  the  leaves 
of  the  few  trees  he  had  seen  to  fade 
away  in  autumn  and  perish  on  the  ap- 
proach of  winter.  This  process  appear- 
ed to  him  to  be  as  slow  as  their  growth  ; 


it  was  a  gradual  decay  of  Nature.  Bat 
here  death  was  cruel  as  well  as  im- 
patient, and,  like  a  consumptive  fever, 
beautified  its  victim  with  hectic  color 
before  it  destroyed  it,  that  its  loss  might 
be  more  kcunly  felt  and  lamented.  He 
was  in  a  new  world,  and  it  was  natural 
it  should  contain  new  things,  but  he  was 
not  prepared  for  what  followed.  When 
he  entered  the  little  placid  cove,  which 
lay  glittering  like  a  lake  of  molten  sil- 
ver beneath  the  gaze  of  the  declining 
sun,  he  was  startled  at  beholding  his 
house  reversed  and  suspended  far  and 
deep  in  its  pellucid  bosom,  and  the  trees 
growing  downwards  with  their  umbra- 
geous branches  or  pointed  tops,  and  all 
so  clear,  so  distinct,  and  perfect,  as  to 
appear  to  be  capable  of  corporeal  touch. 
And  yet,  strange  to  say,  far  below  the 
house,  and  the  trees,  and  other  earthly 
objects,  was  the  clear  bbio  sky,  with  its 
light,  fleecy  cloudb  o  floated  slowly 
through  its  traosi^arent  atmosphere,, 
while  the  eagle  was  distinctly  visible 
soaring  in  unrestrained  liberty  in  the 
subterranean  heavens.  Every  stroke  of 
the  oar  separated  the  trunks  of  those 
enormous  aquatic  trees,  which  divided 
to  afford  a  passage  to  the  boat,  and  then 
united  instantly  as  before.  Had  Nich- 
olas been  a  forester  or  a  bargeman  in 
his  native  land,  these  phenomena  would 
still  have  astonished  him,  for  both  are  ex- 
hibited in  this  country  in  a  more  remark- 
able degree  than  in  almost  any  other 
part  of  the  world.  But  having  been 
merely  a  landsman,  and  never  having 
seen  any  collection  of  water  till  he  be- 
held the  ocean,  or  a  forest  until  he  land- 
ed in  Nova  Scotia,  it  is  not  to  be  won- 
dered at  if  he  felt  bewildered  and  occa- 
sionally doubted  whether  it  was  safe  to 
trust  the  evidence  of  his  own  senses. 
He  was  not  a  little  pleased,  therefore, 
when  he  found  himself  once  more  on 
land,  and  was  convinced  that  his  house 
was  in  its  right  place ;  but  he  was  by  no 
means  satisfied  with  the  careless  indif- 
ference with  which  its  inmates  regarded 
the  approach  of  so  important  a  person 
as  its  lawful  lord  and  master.  He  was 
resolved  to  teach  and  enforce  more  re- 
spectful treatment  for  the  future,  and 


\ 


Ml!    Ml' 


»i; 


■^*%.iiii 


192 


THE  OLD  JUDGEi  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


S'^ 


'.*  %, 


^•■ 


•ooordingly  was  prepared,  by  the  time 
he  reached  the  door,  with  a  terse  and 
sharp  reproof  wherewith  to  greet  them. 
He  entered  with  the  proud  aud  liaugh- 
ty  air  of  a  man  who  feels  that  he  has 
Buffered  an  indignity,  which  was  imme- 
diately superHoded  by  an  expression  of 
intense  horror,  as  his  eyes  fell  on  the 
awful  spectacle  before  bim.     There  lav 
the  mangled  bodies  of  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren, his  slaughtered  dog,  and  the  frag- 
ments of  his  broken  furniture  and  rifled 
froperty.     The  fire  on  the  hearth  was 
orned  out,  and  all  was  as  silent  and  as 
desolate  as  when  he  first  discovered  it ; 
but,  alas !  that  silence  was  the  silence 
of  death,  and  that  desolation  the  work 
of  rapine  and  murder.     It  was  an  ap- 
palling scene,  and  it  was  but  too  plain 
whose  infernal  work  it   was,  for  the 
heads  of  all  bore  the  fatal  mark  of  the 
Indian  scalping-knife.    Nicholas  and  his 
two  sons  exchanged  looks  of  agony  and 
terror,  but  they  were  speechless.    They 
seemed  all  three  spell-bound,  when  the 
father  fainted,  and  fell  heavily  forward 
over  the  mutilated  body  of  his  unfortu- 
nate wife.     His  sons  lifted  him  up,  and 
removed   him   to  the  boat,  and  from 
thence  to  the  vessel,  aad  immediately 
dropped  down  the  river  to  the  settle- 
ment at  its  entrance,  when  taking  all 
the  male  population,  with  their  arms,  on 
board,  they  returned  to  the  Hufeisen 
Bucht,   and  hastily  buried   the   dead. 
They  then  pursued  the  enemy  with  all 
speed,  who,  not  expecting  such  prompt 
and  decided  measures,  had  not  proceed- 
ed far,  or  adopted  the  usual  precautions, 
when   they  were   overtaken,  attacked, 
and  defeated  with  great  loss.    On  their 
return,  they  hanged  four  of  the  prisoners 
on  the  willow-trees  in  front  of  the  house, 
and  the   remaining  two  were  sent  to 
Hialifax,  to  be  held  as  hostages,  or  dealt 
with  as   the  governor    should   direct. 
Nicholas,  with  his  two  surviving  sons, 
returned  to  Lunenburg,  the  latter  hav- 
ing vowed  never  more  to  put  their  feet 
within  that  magical  and  accursed  house. 
The  Indians  had  purposely  abstained 
from  setting  fire  to  the  buildings.   They 
had  been  erected  by  their  old  friends 
the  French,  whose  language  they  began 


to  understand,  and  the  forms  of  whosf 
religion  they  had  adopted.  It  was  poe- 
sible  they  might  require  them  again, 
and  that  the  fortune  of  war  might  place 
them  in  a  situation  to  resume  a  trade 
that  had  'proved  so  beneficial  to  both. 
The  proprietors  were  e(|ually  unwilling 
to  destroy  a  property  which,  though  they 
could  never  inhabit  themselves,  might 
afterwards  be  sold  fur  a  large  sum  of 
money.  They  were,  therefore,  left  stand- 
ing to  terrify  the  navigators  of  the  La 
Halve  by  the  spectre^  and  ghosts  that 
always  haunt  a  scene  of  violence  and 
murder.  Poor  old  Nicholas  never  re- 
covered the  massacre  of  his  family  and 
the  loss  of  his  property.  His  grief  was, 
at  first,  most  acute  and  distressing.  He 
would  talk  of  his  poor,  dear,  dead  fraa ; 
of  the  Rhineland,  his  happy  home,  that 
he  had  so  thoughtlessly  left ;  *of  his  lit- 
tle, pnooent,  slaughtered  children ;  and 
condemn  his  own  folly  in  desecrating 
the  Indian  burial-ground,  and  thereby 
awakening  their  fearful  vengeance. 
This  was  soon  followed  by  a  settled 
melancholy.  He  never  more  took  any 
interest  in  any  thing,  or  ever  attended 
again  to  business.  He  generally  sat  by 
the  fire,  into  which  he  looked  vacantly, 
and  smoked.  He  neither  asked  nor  re- 
sponded to  questions.  His  heart  was 
broken. 

One  day  he  was  missing,  and  great 
was  the  consternation  in  Lunenburg, 
for  every  person  feared  he  had  put  an 
end  to  his  ezisience  by  his  own  hand. 
Diligent  inquiry  and  search  were  made 
both  in  the  town  and  its  neighborhood, 
but  no  trace  whatever  could  be  found 
of  him.  At  last  some  persons,  more 
courageous  than  others,  ventured,  well 
armed,  to  examine  the  "  Hufeisen 
Bucht,"  and  ascertain  if  be  was  thert;, 
and  there  they  found  him  extended  on 
the  grave  of  his  wife  and  children,  where 
he  had  perished  with  cold,  fatigue,  and 
exhaustion.  He  was  interred  where  be 
lay,  and  increased  the  number  and  the 
terrors  of  the  nocturnal  wanderers  of 
the  Cove. 

For  many  years  the  place  was  shun- 
ned by  all  persons,  except  now  and  thes 
by  Indians,  who  occasionally  visited  it 


[Il 


)  forma  of  whoav 
ted.  It  was  po»- 
aire  them  again, 
i  war  might  place 

resume  a  trade 
eneficial  to  hotb. 
equally  unwilling 
rhicb,  though  they 
bhemselTes,  might 
'  a  large  sum  of 
erefore,  left  stand- 
igntora  of  the  La 
^  and  ghosts  that 
Q  of  violence  and 
ficholaa  never  re- 
of  hia  family  and 
by.  His  grief  was, 
d  distressing.  He 
r,  dear,  dead  frau ; 

happy  home,  that 
ily  left ;  \)f  his  lit- 
ired  ohildren ;  and 
illy  in  desecrating 
}und,  and  thereby 
jarful  vengeance, 
wed  by  a  settled 
rer  more  took  any 

or  ever  attended 
generally  sat  by 
looked  vacantly, 

ther  asked  nor  re- 
Hia  heart  was 

nissing,  and  great 

in  in  Lunenburg, 

he  had  put  an 

by  his  own  hand. 

search  were  made 

its  ueighborhood, 

could  be  found 

ae  persons,  more 

jra,  ventured,  well 

the    "  Hufeisen 

if  he  was  thea, 

him  extended  oq 

id  children,  where 

cold,  fatigue,  and 

interred  where  he 

number  and  the 

lal  wanderers  ot 

place  was  shun- 
ept  now  and  then 
iionally  visited  it 


ie 


HORSE-SHOE  COVEi   Oil,  HUFEISEN  BL'CHT. 


19B 


to  light  their  funeral  fires,  deposit  their 
dead,  and  chant  their  mouotonouF  and 
dismal  dirges.  Meanwhile  the  buildings 
became  much  dilapidated.  The  shut- 
tors  of  the  blockhouse  having  been  forced 
off  by  the  wind,  the  large  bell  «tet  in 
motion  by  its  fitful  gusts,  added  its 
deep-toned  and  melancholy  notes  to  the 
wailing  of  the  blast,  and  the  frightened 
bargemen,  as  they  hurried  by  the  ill 
omened  spot,  would  say,  "Old  Nick  is 
walking  to-night,  and  tolling  his  bull." 

Years  rolled  by,  and  emigration  be- 
^an  to  be  directed  to  the  beautiful  up- 
land and  rich  alluvial  soil  that  border 
the  noble  river.  Above,  far  above  the 
Cove,  were  settlers ;  and  below  it  was  a 
continuous  line  of  farms  ;  but  for  sev- 
eral miles  around  the  haunted  house  no 
man  was  so  hardy  as  to  venture.  It 
was  given  up  to  its  lawful  ranger,  Nich- 
olas Spohr,  and  to  his  fearful  compan- 
ions, ghosts,  goblins,  and  spirits  of  the 
«  Hufeisen  Bucht." 

In  1783,  a  treaty  of  peace  was  signed 
with  the  rebel  colonies  now  forming  the 
United  States,  and  their  independence 
acknowledged  by  the  mother-country. 
This  event  was  followed  by  a  very  great 
emigration  to  Nova  Scotia  of  men,  who, 
preferring  their  allegiance  to  their  pro- 
perty, abandoned  their  estates,  and  re- 
moved into  the  cold  and  inhospitable 
wilds  of  this  province.  Most  of  these  set- 
tlers (commonly  known  aa  Loyalists) 
were  people  of  substance  and  education, 
but  in  their  train  were  many  persons  of  a 
different  description  and  very  opposite 
character.  Every  vessel  that  arrived 
for  several  months  afterwards,  brd||ght 
numerous  parties  of  refugees.  In  one 
from  New  York  was  a  Captain  John 
Smith  and  hia  family.  Who  or  what 
he  waa  nobody  knew ;  and  as  these  were 
subjects  on  which  he  maintained  an  im- 
penetrable reserve,  nobody  but  myself 
ever  did  know.  His  object  appeared  to 
be  retirement  rather  than  what  is  called 
settlement.  Leaving  his  family  at  Hal- 
ifax, he  examined  the  adjacent  country, 
and  when  at  Lunenburg,  hearing  of  the 
"Hufeisen  Bucht,"  very  much  to  the 
latonishment  of  every  body  went  to  see 
it,  and,  to  their  still  greater  surprise, 
13 


purchased  it,  and  announced  his  deter- 
mination to  reside  there.  At  this  time 
the  Cove  was  as  much  hidden  from  view 
as  ever,  for  a  new  growth  of  wood  had 
sprung  up  on  the  clearings  of  Nicholas, 
and  had  again  so  embowered  its  en- 
trance that  MO  part  of  the  harbor,  the 
liuildiugs,  or  the  arable  land  were  visi- 
ble from  the  river.  The  house  had  fallen 
into  a  sad  state  of  decay,  and  required 
very  extensive  repairs  to  render  it  ten- 
autuble,  and  he  experienced  no  little 
trouble  in  procuring  workmen  to  engage 
in  such  a  hazardous  enterprise.  The 
Germans  absolutely  refused,  and  he  was 
compelled  to  bring  mechanics  from  Hal 
ifax,  who  were  unacquainted  with  the 
horrid  traditions  and  bad  reputation  of 
the  place.  By  dint  of  perseverance,  a 
liberal  expenditure  of  money,  and  an 
easy,  agreeable,  and  assured  manner, 
he  conquered  all  difficulties,  and  it  waa 
once  more  put  into  as  good  order  aa 
when  first  discovered  by  poor  Nicholas 
Spohr.  He  then  removed  his  family 
thither,  and  took  possession  of  the 
haunted  house  of  the  "  Hufeisen  Bueht" 
This  bold  and  decisive  step,  however, 
awakened  the  fears  and  suspicions  of 
his  superstitious  neighbors.  The  Ger- 
mans of  Lunenburg  always  have  been, 
and  still  are,  noted  for  their  dislike  to 
the  intrusion  of  strangers  into  their 
county,  the  whole  of  which  they  con- 
sider as  a  compensation  for  their  emi- 
gration, or  as  a  reward  iin  the  toil  and 
danger  of  settline  it ;  but  ;t  the  time  I 
am  speaking  of  wis  feeling  almost  in- 
volved persecution.  Trained  in  their 
own  country  to  respect  and  obey  their 
superiors,  they  were  willing  to  submit 
themselves  to  authority ;  but  who  was 
Mr.  John  Smith  ?  Was  that  a  real  or 
fictitious  name  ?  His  habits  and  man- 
ners were  unlike  any  thing  they  had 
ever  seen.  He  had  no  connection  with 
the  government  at  Halifax,  which  he 
appeared  neither  to  know  nor  care  about. 
Unlike  themselves  he  did  not  labor, 
neither  did  he  trade;  and,  unlike  all 
other  settlers,  he  appeared  to  be  amplj 
provided  with  gold,  which  was  differeiU 
from  the  ordinary  coin  of  the  realm, 
being  principally  pieces  of  eight,  or  what 


I.  * 


J 


.<• 


(;»vji!: 


'  » 


%^i 


:f 


<*, 


194 


THE  OLD  JUDOS  I  OR,  LIPE  IN  A  COLONY. 


If     ■■"■C-V 


w«N  then  known  m  Spanish  Joes. 
When  his  name  was  mentioned  they 
«hook  iheir  heads,  looked  mysteriouHly, 
and  whispered  of  piracy,  of  hidden 
treasnres,  spies,  traitors,  and  persons 
who  had  fled  from  justice.  Captain 
Smith,  as  he  was  called,  was  a  tall,  sin- 
ewy, athletic  man,  about  thirty-eight 
years  of  age.  His  gait  and  manner  m 
stronely  resembled  those  of  «  sailor,  as 
to  indnoe  a  belief  that  a  great  part  of 
his  life  had  been  spent  on  the  sea.  In 
disposition  he  was  frank,  manly,  atad 
irascible,  while  his  conversation  exhib- 
ited snch  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
world,  that  it  was  evident  he  was  no  or- 
dinary man.  He  spoke  several  lan- 
gtujS^  fluently,  and  appeared  to  be  fa- 
miluir  with  the  prinoiiMd  parts  in  Eu- 
rope and  America.  A  great  part  of  his 
time  was  spent  in  fishing,  hunting,  and 
boating,  in  all  of  which  he  exhibited 
surprising  dexterity.  By  most  of  his 
neighbors  he  was  fear^  and  avoided — 
an  annoyance  for  which  he  appeared  to 
derive  some  compensation  trum  the 
friendship  of  the  Indians,  whom  he  at- 
tached to  him  in  a  remarkable  degree, 
•nd  in  encouraging  and  provoking  fears, 
the  absurdity  of  which  he  was  either  un- 
willins  or  too  proud  to  explain.  Still,  al- 
tiiongh  the  people  on  the  river  declined 
associating  with  him,  they  were  afraid  to 
disobey  a  man  who  appeared  to  them  to 
be  in  league  with  supernatural  powers; 
and  no  one  had  his  commissions  at  Hal- 
ifax so  well  executed,  or  his  freight  so 
punctually  delivered,  ta  he  hacT  An 
intimate  acquaintance  with  the  state  of 
the  atmosphere  enabled  him  to  predict 
with  great  certainty  the  continuance  or 
change  of  wind,  and  the  approach  of  a 
storm ;  upon  which  subject,  whenever 
his  opinion  was  accidentally  asked,  he 
seemed  to  take  a  malioions  pleasure  in 
tolling  the  bell  of  poor  Nicholas  Spohr, 
as  if  he  derived  his.  information  from  its 
peculiar  intonations. 

Mrs.  Smith,  who  was  several  years 
younger  than  her  husband,  was  an  un- 
commonly handsome  woman,  but  the 
predominant  character  of  her  fuce  was 
that  of  melancholy,  the  cause  of  which 
appeared  to  be  as  mysterious  as  every 


thing  else  about  them.  Whether  it 
arose  from  the  total  seclusion  in  which 
they  lived,  from  the  loss  of  children,  of 
which  she  at  that  time  appeared  to  have 
none,  from  ill  health,  or  from  the  ap- 
prehension of  some  impending  calamity, 
people  were  unable  even  to.  conjecture. 
The  house  exhibited  a  strange  mixture 
of  coarse  furniture  and  articles  of  con- 
siderable value.  The  principal  room, 
which  had  been  unaltered  from  the  time 
of  the  French,  was  of  unusAal  length, 
having  a  fire-place  at  either  extremity, 
as  if  intended  for  the  reception  of  two 
tables,  an  arrangement  which  Captain 
Smith  appeared  to  have  approved  and 
adopted,  as  the  furniture  of  each  end 
was  different,  the  one  resembling  that 
01"  a  parlor  and  the  other  that  of  a  ser- 
vants' hall.  At  both  sides  of  the  chim- 
ney, at  the  upper  part,  was  a  door  lead- 
ing into  a  bedroom ;  a  corresponding 
arrangement  was  made  at  the  lower  end, 
one  apartment  being  a  scullery  and  the 
other  a  sleeping-room. 

I  have  before  observed,  that  there  was 
a  large  projection  in  the  rear  (which  gave 
to  the  entire  building  a  resemblance  to 
the  letter  T,)  and  communicated  with 
the  hall  by  a  door  in  the  centre.  The 
whole  ground-flat  of  this  part  of  the 
house  was  appropriated  to  the  double 
purpose  of'  a  larder  and  store-room, 
and  contained  the  staircase  that  led  to 
the  attics.  The  decorations  of  the  hall 
bespoke  a  sportsman.  The  walls  were 
covered  with  the  antlers  of  the  moose 
and  cariboo,  fowling-pieces,  fusees  and 
pistols,  most  of  which  had  rich,  and 
sommntique  mountings ;  and  also  with 
fishing-rods,  landing-nets,  salmon-spears, 
and  every  variety  of  a  fisherman's  ge^. 
South  American  bows  and  arrows  were 
also  displayed  there,  from  the  latter  of 
which  was  suspended  a  card  marked 
poison.  Nothing  excited  such  terror 
among  his  simple  neighbors  as  the  ap> 
curacy  of  his  aim,  and  the  deadly  effect 
of  these  mysterious  weapons.  In  hunt- 
ing the  deer  of  the  country  he  always 
carried  them  in  addition  to  his  gun,  but 
never  used  them  unless  there  was  a 
herd  which  he  was  unwilling  to  disturb 
by  the  noise  of  fire-arms.     Upon  these 


n.      Whether  it 
solusion  in  whiob 
38  of  children,  of 
appeared  to  havt 
or  from  the  ap- 
pending oalamity, 
sn  to.  conjecture, 
strange  mixture 
i  articles  of  con- 
principal  room, 
red  from  the  time 
'  unusAal  leneth, 
either  extremity, 
reception  of  two 
t  which  Captain 
ive  approved  and 
lure  of  each  end 
resembling  that 
hor  that  of  a  ser- 
iides  of  the  ohim- 
,  was  a  door  lead- 
a  corresponding 
)  at  the  lower  end, 
t  scullery  and  the 

edjthat  there  waa 
B  rear  (which  gave 
a  resemblance  to 
mmunioated  with 
the  centre.     The 
this  part  of  the 
id  to  the  double 
and   store-room, 
rcase  that  led  to 
.tions  of  the  hall 
The  walls  were 
srs  of  the  moose 
lieces,  fusees  and 
had  rich,  and 
;  and  also  with 
I,  salmon-spears, 
isherman's  gefir. 
ind  arrows  were 
)m  the  latter  of 
card  marked 
Itod  such  terror 
ibors  as  the  ap- 
deadly  effect 
)ons.     In  hunt- 
kuntry  he  always 
II  to  his  gun,  but 
ess  there  was  a 
lilling  to  disturb 
lis.     Upon  these 


H0R8B-8H0E  COVB(  OK,  HUFEISEN  BUCHT. 


195 


oeoasiona  he  resorted  to  theseqaiet bat 
certain  messengen  of  death.  'WneneTer, 
or  wherever  any  animal  was  struck  with 
one  of  these  missiles,  in  less  than  three 
minutes  it  fell  a  victim,  if  not  to  the 
wound,  to  the  poison ;  and  yet,  strange 
to  say,  though  it  destroyed  vitality,  it 
in  no  way  affected  the  flavor  or  the 
wholesomeness  of  the  venison.  Even 
the  savages  beheld  with  bwe  a  man  who 
possessed  arms  as  noiseless  as  their  own, 
as  unorriog  as  those  of  the  white  men, 
and  more  ntal  than  either.  On  shelves 
near  the  door  leading  into  the  projection, 
were  several  articles  of  old  and  curiously 
fashioned  silver,  the  form  and  workman- 
ship of  which  were  wholly  unlike  any 
thing  of  that  century.  It  was  difficult 
to  say  whether  they  were  the  remnant 
of  family  plate,  or  a  collection  resulting 
from  a  taste  for  articles  of  antiquitv. 
His  neighbors,  however,  very  summarily 
decided  thr.t  they  were  the  plunder  of 
a  pirate.  The  mantel-piece  was  graced 
by  a  guitar,  a  violin,  and  bugle,  and  one 
or  two  exquisitely  finished  and  richly 
mounted  miniatures.  There  were  no 
carpets  in  any  of  the  rooms,  the  place  of 
which  was  supplied  by  furs  of  bears 
and  other  animius. 

With  the  exception  of  the  fearful  and 
deadly  arrows,  which  I  have  described, 
there  was  nothins  in  all  this  to  excite 
the  surprise  of  uxe  simple-minded  in- 
habitants beyond  that  of  eccentricity, 
and  resources  to  which  they  were  unac- 
customed ;  but  at  the  lower  end  of  the 
room  sat  two  beings  who  realized  all 
that  the  Germans  had  ever  heard,  read, 
or  imagined,  as  incarnate  devils.  The 
familiar  attendants  on  this  dangerous 
stranger,  were  an  old  man  and  woman 
of  diminutive  statdre,  as  black  as  ebony, 
whose  heads  were  covered  with  wool  in- 
stead of  hair,  having  teeth  of  extraordi- 
nary size  and  whiteness,  and  feet  of 
enormous  length,  half  of  which  extended 
behind  the  ancle  in  the  shape  of  a  heel, 
and  who  spoke  a  language  neither  Saxon, 
English,  nor  French.  The  man,  whom 
he  called  Cato,  was  several  years  older 
than  the  female.  His  head  was  gray, 
which  contrasted  strangely  with  the  col- 
ot  of  his  skin.     His  arms  were  of  un- 


oommon  length,  and  wholly  dispropor* 
tioned  to  his  height.  His  hands  were 
small,  and  his  fingers  long,  slender,  and 
bony,  bearing  a  striking  resemblance  to 
claws,  while  the  palms  and  nails  were 
almost  white.  He  was  habited  in  a  sort 
of  frook-coat  made  uf  seal-skin  gathered 
in  at  the  waist  by  a  red  sash,  from  which 
were  suspended  a  fur  pouch,  and  a  large 
knife  covered  by  a  leathern  scabbard. 
The  rest  of  his  apparel  consisted  of 
small-clothes  and  biaok  gaiters.  The 
wool  on  his  head  stood  out  from  it  like 
the  fleece  of  a  sheep,  and  gave  it  a  heavy 
and  massive  appearance,  while  the  outer 
and  lower  part  was  braided  into  numer- 
ous small  plaits,  and  fell  on  his  fore- 
head and  neck  like  pendent  icioles.  He 
wore  a  pair  of  large  gold  ear-rings,  and 
a  puncture  through  the  nose  showed 
that  that  feature  had  in  times  past  been 
decorated  in  a  similar  manner.  His 
shirt,  which  was  of  white  cotton,  was  se- 
cured at  the  breast  by  a  large  circular 
silver  brooch,  in  the  form  of  a  ring,  from 
which  was  suspended  by  a  short  chain 
a  small  piece  of  curiously  worked  ivory, 
containing  what  was,  no  doubt,  of  ines- 
timable value  to  him,  "a  charm,"  of 
amber.  His  oonntenanee.  though  some- 
what dull,  and  much  disngured  by  the 
cheeks  being  tattooed,  was  on  the  whole 
indicative  of  a  kind  and  good  disposi- 
tion. 

The  female,  who  answered  to  the 
classical  name  of  Venus,  was  very  small, 
very  thin,  and,  for  her  age,  remarkably 
active.  She  wore  on  her  head  a  bright 
scarlet  silk  handkerchief,  tied  behind. 
Her  dress  consisted  of  a  short  body 
made  of  printed  calico,  with  gay  and 
gaudy  flowers  on  it,  and  a  skirt  of  shin- 
ing glazed  green  cloth.  Round  her 
neck  were  wound  several  rows  of  beads, 
which  supported  an  ivory  ease,  similar 
in  form,  and  devoted  to  the  same  pur 
pose,  as  that  of  her  husband. 

The  English  settlers,  the  descendants 
of  a  people  who  in  New  England  had 
believed  in  sorcery,  and  burned  witches, 
though  not  without  a  full  share  of  super- 
stition, and  on  other  points  sufficiently 
terrified  at  the  new  occupant  of  the 
haunted  house,  knew  these  blacks  to  be 


»< 


**>\ 


.*  ''I 


'M! 


%?«!: 


11 


it 
s 

\ 

I 


198 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I  OH,  LIPS  IN  A  COLONY. 


Afrioana,  and  ozplained  to  the  ignorant 
foreigners  that  tney  were  a  people  de- 
Mended  flrom  Cain,  and  destined  by 
Providenoe  to  expiate  the  sin  'of  their 
progenitor,  by  being  forever  the  slares 
of  white  men.  This,  however,  was  mere- 
ly an  assertion,  unsupported  by  any 
proof  whatever — terrible  if  trne,  but 
more  awful  if  falie.  But  trne  it  could 
not  be.  Tor  they  had  never  seen  such 
beings  in  Oermany,  which  was  a  country 
that  contained  all  that  was  worth  seeins 
or  knowing  in  the  world.  They  heard 
the  explanation,  shook  tlioir  heads,  and 
disbelieved,  for  they  were  fully  satisfied 
that  Captain  Smith  was  a  magician,  and 
that  his  two  servants  were  imps  of  dark- 
ness, who  either  inspired  his  conduct  or 
executed  his  wicked  commands. 

Such  was  the  house,  its  inmates,  and 
the  reputation  of  both,  in  the  year  1795. 
Although  the  *^  Hufeisen  Bueht"  was 
dreaded  and  avoided  aa  much  as  possi- 
ble by  the  inhabitants,  there  were  two 
elasses  of  persons  who  constantly  fre- 
quented it,  and  were  always  hospitably 
entertained — the  Indiads,  and  sporting 
officers  from  Halifax,  of  both  the  army 
and  navy.  The  first  salmon  I  ever 
caught  was  on  the  La  Haive,  when  a 
guest  at  the  Cove;  and  even  now,  at 
this  distance  of  time,  I  recall  with  great 
pleasure  an  evening  spent  in  company 
with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith,  in  listening 
to  the  delightful  conversation  of  the 
former,  and  the  sweet  and  melancholy 
songs  of  that  most  charming  and  inter- 
esting woman.  Judge  of  my  surprise, 
therefore,  when  the  following  year 
(1796,)  while  at  Lunenburg  with  the 
court,  (rather  for  pleasure  than  business, 
for  I  was  not  then  called  to  the  bar,)  I 
met  Captain  Smith  in  the  custody  of  a 
number  of  armed  men  on  a  charge  of 
having  robbed  and  murdered  a  pedlar. 
He  begged  me  to  accompany  him  to  the 
prison  and  procure  a  professional  man 
to  conduct  his  defence,  congratulating 
himself  at  the  same  time  that,  as  the 
court  was  sitting  and  he  was  innocent, 
he  would  be  at  large  again  in  the  course 
of  a  few  days. 

It  appears  that,  about  four  or  five 
years  previous  to  his  arrest,  in  conse- 


quence of  the  inoreasins  infirmities  of 
the  old  negro  servant.  Captain  Smith 
had  brought  a  boy  from  Halifax  as  an 
indented  apprentice,  the  son  of  a  soldiei 
whose  regiment  was  about  to  embark 
for  the  West  Indies.  The  loneliness 
of  the  place,  its  bad  reputation,  and  the 
mysterious  conduct  of  its  owner,  filled 
the  mind  of  the  boy  with  terror  and 
suspicion.  He  made  several  attempts  to 
escape  on  board  of  some  of  the  coasting 
Tciaels  that  frequented  the  La  Ilaive , 
but  such  was  the  general  apprehension 
that  was  entertained  of  Captain  Smith's 
power  and  resentment,  no  person  was 
found  willing  to  aid  him  in  such  a  dan- 
serous  enterprise.  At  last,  availing 
himself  of  his  master's  absence,  he  swam 
to  the  opposite  shore  and  proceeded 
through  the  woods  to  Lunenburg,  which 
after  a  circuitous  route,  attended  with 
incredible  labor  and  fatigue,  he  reached 
in  safety.  He-  immediately  preferred 
an  accusation  of  murd^  against  the 

f>roprietor  of  the  Cove.     The  partiou- 
ars  of  the  charge,  as  appeared  by  his 
deposition,  were  Driefly  these. 

He  stated  that  in  the  month  of 
March  immediately  succeeding  his 
landing  at  the  Hufeisen  Buoht,  there 
arrived  an  officer  from  Halifax  and  a 
pedlar,  both  of  whom  spent  the  night 
there ;  that  his  master,  who  had  been 
absent  all  the  afternoon,  returned  about 
eight  o'clock  in  the  evening ;  and  that 
after  supper  the  pedlar,  who  appeared 
to  be  very  weary,  retired  early,  and  was 
conducted  to  a  room  above  the  projec- 
tion, usually  oconpied  by  himself,  who 
that  night  slept  before  the  fire  at  the 
lower  end  of  the  hall.  Mrs.  Smith,  he 
said,  also  withdrew  soon  afterwards, 
leaving  her  husband  and  the  officer, 
who  sat  up  late  drinking  and  smoking. 
To  the  latter  the  captain  related  the 
massacre  of  poor  old  Nicholas  Spohr's 
family  and  the  execution  of  the  four 
Indians,  who  were  banged  on  the  wil- 
low trees  in  front  of  tne  house,  which 
led  to  a  desultory  conversation,  in 
which  they  mutually  related  stories  of 
murder,  robberies,  and  apparitions, 
which  the  boy  stated  so  riveted  hia 
attention  as  to  keep  him  awake  during 


HORSE-SHOE  COVEj  OR,  HUFEI8EN  BUCHT. 


197 


^11 


ins  in&rmitiea  of 
1,  Captain  Smith 
tm  Halifax  aa  an 
le  son  of  a  soldier 
about  to  embark 
The  loneliness 
iputation,  and  the 
r  its  owner,  filled 
with  terror  and 
sveral  attempts  to 
neof  the  coasting 
4  the  La  Halve, 
eral  apprehension 
}f  Captain  Smith's 
nt,  no  person  was 
iiim  in  such  a  dan- 
At  last,  availing 
s  absence,  he  swam 
re   and   proceeded 
Lunenburg,  which 
ute,  attended  with 
fatigue,  he  reached 
lediately  preferred 
urdi^  against  the 
ove.     The  particu- 
as  appeared  by  his 
ifly  these, 
in  the    month  of 
succeeding    his 
aisen  Buoht,  there 
m  Halifax  and  a 
1  spent  the  night 
ter,  who  had  been 
on,  returned  about 
rening;   and  that 
lar,  who  appeared 
red  early,  and  was 
above  the  projeo- 
l  by  himself,  who 
tre  the  fire  at  the 
Mrs.  Smith,  he 
soon    afterwards, 
and  the  officer, 
ing  and  smoking, 
itain  related  the 
Nicholas  Spohr's 
ition  of  the  four 
jged  on  the  wil- 
the  house,  which 
conversation,  in 
■elated  stories  of 
,nd    apparitions, 
BO  riveted  his 
m  awake  during 


the  whole  period  they  were  up,  and  so 
terrified  him  aa  to  occasion  his  sleep  to 
be  broken  and  uneasy.  He  went  on  ^ 
say,  that  during  the  night  he  naw  the 

ftrojection  open  and  the  two  men  issue 
rom  it,  carrying  a  dead   body  (partly 
covered  with  a  cloak)  of  the  sise  and 
bulk  of  the  pedlar,  who  was  a  remark- 
ably stout  man ;  that  the  foot  appeared 
to  be  fastened  together,  and  the  arms 
covered  by  the  oToak ;    that  he  could 
not  distinguish  the  features  of  the  face 
on  account  of  the  flickering  light  of  the 
wood  fire,  but  he  could  plainly  see  the 
long  black  hair  that  covered  it;    that 
the  bodv  was  naked,  and  the  white  skin 
as  manifest  as  if  it  were  exhibited  by 
daylight.     He  swore  positively  that  the 
person  who  supported  the  head  was  his 
master,  but  he  was  unable  to  identify 
the  man  who  carried  the  feet  of  the 
corpse,  as  he  had  never  seen  him  before 
Of  since,  though  his  appearance  was 
that  of  a  sailor.     He  further  deposed 
that  he  distinctly  heard  the  footsteps 
of  the  two  men  and  the  sound  of  a  sled 
on  the  crisp  snow,  until  they  were  lost 
in  the  distance ;  and  that  at  last,  wea- 
ried and  exhausted,  he  fell  fast  asleep, 
and  it  was  broad  daylight  when  he  was 
■roused  by  the  captain,  who  ordered 
him  to  get  up  and  replenish  the  fire, 
and  then  proceeded  himself  to  renew 
his  own  and  call  the  officer.     Shortly 
ifterwards,   he  said,  the  two   negroes 
made  their  appearance ;    a  hasty  meal 
was  prepared,  and  arrangements  made 
for  moose  hunting ;    that  as  they  were 
sitting  down  to  the  table  the  officer 
asked  where  the  pedlar  was,  to  which 
Mr.  Smith  replied  that  he  had  departed 
early  while  he  had  been  absent  catching 
some  fresh  fish  for  their  breakfast,  and 
that  lazy  fellow  (meaning  the  deponent) 
was  asleep  before  the  fire ;   and,  he  was 
sorry  to  say,  had  left  the  house  without 
iiaving  had  any  thing  to  eat.     He  fur- 
ther stated,  that  as  soon  as  his  master 
and  the  officer  were  out  of  sieht  ho  fol- 
lowed the  track  of  the  hand-sled,  which 
he  traced  down  to  the  cove  and  across 
it  to  the  outer  extremity  of  the  heel  of 
the  horse-shoe,  where  the  current  of  the 
river  had  swept  away  the  ice,  leaving 


that  on  the  sfieltered  and  quiet  cove  as 
firm  and  as  solid  as  in  the  middle  of 
winter ;  \hut  at  about  thirty  feet  firom 
the  termination  of  the  ice  there  was  a 
largo  aperture  newly  cut  with  an  axe, 
and  he  could  plainly  perceive  the  im- 
pression of  a  human  body  extended  at 
lull  length  on  the  snow,  which  both 
there  and  at  the  edge  near  the  river 
was  a  good  deal  trampled  down.  He 
had,  therefore,  no  means,  he  said,  of  ai 
certaining  whether  the  bodv  was  thrown 
into  the  river  to  be  carried  by  its  cur- 
rents into  the  ocean,  or  sunk  with  heavy 
weights  through  the  hole  in  the  ice,  but 
that  he  had  no  doubt  whatever  it  was 
disposed  of  either  one  way  or  the  other. 
He  added  that  he  had  never  had  a 
happy  day  since,  the  secret  had  preyed 
so  neavily  on  his  mind,  deeply  affecting 
his  health,  strength,  and  spirits,  and 
that  he  had  frequently  made  inquiries 
at  every  opportunity  that  offered,  and 
always  heard  that  the  pedlar  was  a  miss* 
ing  roan.  He  concluded  by  stating, 
that  from  about  that  period  the  manner 
of  his  master,  who,  he  was  sure,  suspect- 
ed him  of  knowing  something  of  the 
murder,  had  undergone  a  very  iftnfavor- 
able  change  towards  him.  Previously 
to  this  event  he  had  been  kind  and  con- 
siderate to  him,  but  soon  afterwaras  he 
became  severe  and  morose,  and,  as  if  to 
anticipate  his  charge  or  to  account  for 
it  when  made,  had  frequently  accused 
him  of  stealing  a  silver  cup  ;  and  had 
lately  threatened  if  he  did  not  produce 
it  to  make  him  sleep  under  the  bell  of 
old  Nicholas  in  the  blockhouse,  which 
he  had  no  doub't  was  intended  to  be  a 
prelude  to  his  own  murder. 

This  was  a  serious  charge,  and  what 
invested  it  with  more  importance  was 
that  it  was  well  known  in  the  country, 
that  the  pedlar,  who  had  been  traced  to 
the  Hufeisen  Bucht,  hud  never  been 
seen  or  heard  of  afterwards;  and  long 
before  the  accusation  had  assumed  this 
definite  and  positive  form,  a  rumor  had 
been  generally  circulated  and  believed 
that  ne  had  come  to  an  untimely  end 
there. 

Smith,  however,  made  very  light  of 
all  this,  and  said  that  no  man  in  hii 


't«<lli" 


r  'I. 

0 


.a 


% 


198 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONT. 


% 


ItiV 


strange  to  say,  not  a  man  in  the 
could  be  induced  to  go  for  him 


senses  could  believe  such  an  absurd 
story ;  that  the  boy  was  not  much  more 
than  half-witted,  and,  moreover,  was  a 
thief,  as  he  had  stolen  from  him  an  an- 
tique silver  cup,  which,  though  of  no 
great  intrinsic  value,  from  certain  cir- 
cum  stances  connected  with  it  he  prized 
more  than  all  the  rest  of  the  plate  he 
had  in  his  house.  He  said  he  recollect- 
ed the  pedlar  being  there  and  depart- 
ing early  in  the  morning,  and  his  scold- 
ing his  servant  Gato  for  allowing  him 
to  go  without  his  breakfast,  and  that 
the  negro  excused  himself  by  saying 
that  the  man  expressed  a  wish  to  do  so 
for  fear  of  disturbing  the  household ; 
but  that  beyond  this  all  the  rest  of  the 
story  was  an  invention  of  a  disordered 
or  wicked  mind. 

The  testimony  of  Cato  was  all  that 
he  had  to  oppose  to  this  connected  and 
dreadful  accusation,  and  his  counsel 
considered  it  indispensable  that  he 
should  be  produced  at  the  trial ;    but, 

place 
The 
most  liberal  reward  was  offered ;  but 
such  was  the  horror  every  body  enter- 
tained of  the  Hufeisen  Bucht,  its  in- 
mates, and  especially  the  blackB,  that 
every  one  was  afraid  to  undertake  the 
perilous  voyage.  Fortunately  there 
was  a  vessel  in  the  harbor  at  the  time 
from  the  West  Indies,  the  master  and 
crew  of  which  had  seen  too  much  of 
negroes  to  give  credence  to  such  idle 
superstitions.  As  it  was  a  case  that 
admitted  of  no  delay,  I  prevailed  upon 
the  skipper  to  furnish  me  with  a 
boat  and  four  men  to  row  me  to  La 
Halve. 

Leaving  the  barge  at  the  entrance 
of  the  cove,  I  proceeded  on  foot  to  the 
house  and  returned  with  this  important 
but  fearful  witness,  having  first  left  di- 
rections with  Mrs.  Smith  that  we  should 
be  followed  by  an  Indian  canoe  to  re- 
conduct him  in  safety  to  his  home. 

At  the  trial  the  boy  adhered  to  the 
story  to  which  he  had  attested  before 
the  magistrate,  without  the  slightest 
variance  or  prevarication.  There  was 
such  an  air  of  sincerity  and  truth  in 
his  manner,  and  such  a  total  absence  of 


any  thing  like  temper  or  exaggeration, 
that  his  evidence  made  a  very  strong 
and  unfavorable  impression  against  the 
captain.  Smith's  lawyer  made  a  very 
able  and  ingenious  defence  for  him,  and 
called  the  African  to  prove  that  he  had 
seen  the  pedlar  at  daylight  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  liad  pressed  him  to  rcmaiu  and 
breakfast  before  his  departure. 

I  shall  never  forget  the  effect  pro- 
duced on  the  audience  by  the  appear- 
ance of  the  negro.  The  crowd  involun- 
tarily drew  back  and  opened  a  free 
passage  to  a  being  whom  they  regarded 
with  the  most  pious  horror.  When  ho 
was  placed  in  the  witness-box  all  those 
in  the  neighborhood  of  it  withdrew  to  a 
distance,  as  if  afraid  of  his  fearful  in- 
fluence upon  them.  His  testimony  was 
clear,  distinct,  and  positive  as  to  his 
conversation  after  daylight  with  the 
pedlar,  and  completely  negatived  that 
part  of  the  evidence  of  the  boy  which 
went  to  prove  the  removal  of  the  body 
during  the  night. 

The  charge  of  the  judge  was  in  favor 
of  the  prisoner.  He  stated  to  the  jury 
that  there  was  no  positive  proof  of  a 
murder,  nor  of  the  identity  of  the  body; 
that  it  was  quite  possible  that  a  weak- 
minded  boy,  terrified  by  the  supersti- 
tious character  of  tht>  place  in  which  he 
lived,  and  the  nature  of  the  conversa- 
tion he  bad  overheard  that  night,  might 
have  seen  in  a  dream  that  which  he  sup- 
posed he  had  beheld  when  awake ;  that 
pedlars,  from  their  habits,  were  erratic 
people ;  and  this  one,  though  he  might 
not  again  have  repeated  his  visits  to  La 
Halve,  might  still  be  pursuing  bis 
wandering  occupation  in  some  other 
part  of  the  province ;  that  in  all  cases 
the  body  of  the  deceased  should  be 
found,  unless  its  loss  or  destruction 
were  most  satisfactorily  accounted  for ; 
but  that  where  the  evidence  was  weak 
on  this  point,  the  proof  of  a  murder 
ought  to  be  so  clear,  so  plain  and  con- 
clusive, as  not  only  to  leave  no  doubt 
upon  the  mind,  but  to  exclude  an; 
other  possible  hypothesis  whatever :  and 
much  more  to  the  same  effect ;  and 
after  adverting  in  strong  terms  to  tbo 
conflicting  testimony  of  the  black,  ht 


I 


)r  exaggeration, 
e  a  very  strong 
sion  against  the 
er  made  a  very 
moe  for  him,  and 
rove  that  he  had 
ight  in  the  morn- 
^m  to  remain  and 
parture. 

t    the  effect  pro- 
Q  by  the  appcar- 
le  crowd  involun- 
l  opened  a  free 
)m  they  regarded 
lOrror.     When  ho 
less-box  all  those 
f  it  withdrew  to  a 
of  his  fearful  in- 
Elis  testimony  was 
)Ositive  aa  to  his 
aylight    with   the 
ly  negatived  that 
of  the  boy  which 
moval  of  the  body 

judge  was  in  favor 
stated  to  the  jury 
Qsitive  proof  of  a 
antityof  the  body; 
isible  that  a  weak- 
I  by  the  supersti- 
plaoe  in  which  he 
e  of  the  converaa- 
I  that  night,  might 
that  which  he  sup- 
when  awake ;  that 
labits,  were  erratic 
3,  though  he  might 
,ed  his  visits  to  La 
)e  pursuing    his 
in   some  other 
that  in  all  cases 
icease'd  should  be 
8S  or   destruction 
ily  accounted  for ; 
evidence  was  weak 
jroof  of  a  murder 
so  plain  and  con- 
to  leave  no  doubt 
to   exclude  any 
esis  whatever :  and 
same  effect;    and 
rong  terms  to  tbo 
of  the  black,  hi 


in 


HORSE-SHOE  COYEi  OR,  HUFEISEN  BUCHT. 


199 


oondiided  by  recommending  a  verdict 
of  acquittal. 

The  jury,  after  retiring  to  their  room, 
returned  into  court  in  a  few  minutes, 
and  the  foreman  announced  their  de- 
cision, which  was,  that  the  prisoner  was 
guilty ! 

Smith  was  evidently  taken  by  sur- 
prise, but  he  did  not  lose  his  self-pos- 
session. He  thanked  the  judge  for  his 
able  and  impartial  charge,  and  assured 
him  that  the  day  would  come  when  the 
truth  of  his  conjectures  and  his  own 
innocence  would  be  fully  established ; 
and  maintained  that  he  was  a  victim  to 
the  ignorance,  prejudice,  and  supersti- 
tion of  the  people.  He  was  then  re- 
manded to  the  jail,  and  followed  by  a 
noisy,  excited,  and  turbulent  crowd,  that 
exulted  in  his  conviction,  and  longed 
for  the  gratification  of  witnessing  the 
execution  of  the  great  sorcerer. 

The  day  of  the  trial  had  been  one 
of  intense  heat,  and,  at  times,  the  air 
of  the  small  and  over-crowded  court- 
house was  almost  insupportable.  The 
nicceeding  night  was  remarkable  for 
one  of  the  most  terrific  thunder-storms 
ever  known  ;  a  vessel  in  the  harbor  and 
one  or  two  buildings  in  the  town  were 
struck  by  lightning,  and  a  blockhouse, 
that  overlooked  and  guarded  the  settle- 
ment, was  burned  down.  In  the  morn- 
ing, the  prisoner  and  a  sentinel,  whom 
the  officious  zeal  or  dislike  of  the  com- 
munity had  placed  over  him,  were  both 
missing.  The  convict's  room  bore  its 
usual  appearance.  The  door  was  locked 
and  bolted,  the  iron  grating  of  the  win- 
dow was  secure,  and  the  massive  bars 
that  protected  the  flue  of  the  chimney 
were  all  in  their  respective  places.  The 
gun  of  the  watchman  (which  was  found 
standing  reversed,  the  but-end  up,  and 
the  muzzle  secured  to  the  ground  by  the 
bayonet  attached  to  it)  alone  remained 
to  prove  that  the  flight  of  its  owner  had 
been  violent  and  sudden.  No  attempt 
was  made  to  pursue  the  murderer,  whom 
no  prison  could  restrain,  and  who  could 
eall  in  the  very  elements  to  his  aid  to 
baffle  the  efforts  and  defy  the  laws  of 
man.  All  the  wealth  of  all  the  county 
of  Lunenburg  could  not  have  bri>^od  a 


person  to  follow  the  dreaded  ownei  of 
the  "Hufeisen  Buoht."  It  was  plain 
he  was  in  league  with  the  devil,  and 
every  one  thought  it  was  the  safest  and 
wisest  course  to  allow  him  to  join  his 
Satanic  friepd  and  patron  in  peace. 
Great  was  the  lamentation  over  poor 
Caspar  Horn,  the  sentinel,  who,  every 
one  believed,  was  carried  off  by  Captain 
Smith,  or  his  African  magician,  and  de- 
posited in  the  grave  of  old  Nicholas 
Spohr,  or  sunk  many  fathoms  deep  in 
the  river  with  the  murdered  pedlar.  It 
was  a  great  event  for  Heindnch  Lybolt, 
the  landlord  of  the  great  tavern  of  Lu- 
nenburg, who  disposed  of  more  gin,  rum, 
and  tobacco  on  that  day  to  his  agitated 
and  affrighted  countrymen,' than  upon 
any  previous  or  subsequent  occasion. 
Every  body  had  heard  strange  noises 
and  seen  strange  sights  during  the  pre- 
ceding night.  The  jailor  asserted  that 
his  children  were  nearly  suffocated  with 
the  fumes  of  sulphur,  and  that  the 
house  shook  as  if  it  had  been  rocked  by 
an  earthquake.  One  of  the  oldest  wo- 
men in  the  town  averred  that  she  had 
seen  a  ball  of  fire  resting  on  the  church 
steeple  for  several  minutes ;  while  many 
persons  maintained  that  they  had  heard 
the  most  frightful  screams  and  yells ; 
and  although  they  could  not  recollect 
the  voice  at  the  time,  they  now  remem- 
bered it  resembled  that  of  poor  Caspar, 
as  he  was  carried  through  the  air.  The 
foreman  of  the  jury  declared  that,  at 
about  twelve  o'clock  that  night,  as  he 
t?as  leaving  the  tavern  to  proceed  to 
his  own  house  in  the  next  street,  be  en- 
countered an  enormously  tall,  black  man, 
with  a  pair  of  eyes  that  glistened  like 
fire,  who  immediately  grappled  him  by 
his  neckcloth  and  nearly  choked  him, 
and  dragged  him  along  with  him,  with 
as  much  ease  as  if  he  hud  been  a  child, 
to  the  edge  of  the  woods,  where  be  left 
him,  almost  strangled,  to  find  his  way 
home  as  he  best  could,  havinjj^ first  in- 
flicted many  grievous  stripes  upon  him  : 
and  he  exhibited  the  marks  on  bis  throat 
and  back,  which  were  distinctly  visible 
for  several  days. 

At  the  time  I  am  speaking  of,  there 
was  scarcely  a  horse  owne<l  in  the  whole 


1 


*'■•' 


r  ^ 


800 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  i  OR,  UFE  IN  A  COLONf. 


.,•».) 


county  of  Lunenburg.     All  the  country 
people  who  had   occasion  to  visit  the 
town  united  business  with  pleasure,  and 
brought  a  wagon  load  of  wood,  or  some 
agricultural  production,  to  sell  to  traders, 
who  exported  them  to  Halifax.     These 
wagons  were  drawn  by  oxen,  harnessed 
by  the  horns  instead   of  the  yoke,  as 
used  by  settlers  of  American  descent. 
The  great  tavern  (for  there  was  but  one 
then  in  the  place,  which,  strange  to  say, 
in  the  absence  of  all  such  animals,  was 
called  «  Das  Weisse  Pferd,"  or  White 
Horse)  was   surrounded  by  numerous 
teams  of  this  description,  while  their 
masters  were  spending  the  money  they 
had  earned  in  the  tap-room.     The  ter- 
rors of  the  past  night  induced  all  the 
farmers  to  leave  town  earlier  on  the  fol- 
lowing morning  than  usual,  that  they 
might  not  be  overtaken  by  night  or  the 
convict  before  they  reached  their    re- 
spective   homes.     As   this  procession 
moved  off  from  the  inn,  loud  screams 
mingled  with  many  German  oaths  were 
heard  from  one  of  the  carts,  the  owner 
of  which  protested  that  Captain  Smith 
or  the  devil  lay  concealed  in  the  straw 
in  it.     Many  absconded  and  left  their 
cattle  to  their  fate  ;  oihers  urged  them 
to    their  utmost    speed ;    while  some, 
armed  with  pitch-forks,  more  courageous 
than  the  rest,  advanced  to  try  the  effect 
of  cold  steel  upon  the  demon.    Assailed 
on  all  sides,  and  dreadfully  wounded  by 
his  friends,  poor  Caspar  Horn  managed 
to  roll  over  on  his  back,  and  sit  up  and 
exhibit  himself  to  the  view  of  his  aston- 
ished  and  terrified  countrymen.     His 
neckcloth   was    tied    tightly   over    his 
mouth,  his  hands  were  (<ecurcd  behind 
him,  and  his  feet  firmly  bound  together 
with  a  cord.     When  released  and  ena- 
bled to  tipeak,  he  had  but  little  to  tell, 
and  that   little  was  most    marvellous. 
The  last  he  recollected  of  tlie  jail  was 
walking  up  and  down  in  front  of  the 

Erisone^window.  witli  his  musket  on 
is  shoulder;  the  first  thing  he  knew 
afterwards  was  that  he  was  bound 
hand  and  foot,  speechless,  and  lying  on 
his  face  nearly  smothered  with  straw  ; 
but  liow,  when,  or  by  whom  this  was 
effected,  he  was  perfectly  ignorant,  hav- 


ing been  in  a  state  of  insensibility  the 
whole  time 

The  character  of  "  Hufeisen  Bucht," 
if  it  was  indifferent  before,  became  now 
perfectly  terrible.  The  owner  had  this 
day  converted  all  rumors  into  realities, 
and  had  clearly  shown  that  its  occupants 
were  in  league  with  the  Prince  of  Dark- 
ness. Every  accident  or  misfortune 
that  afterwards  happened  in  the  country 
was  laid  to  the  charge  of  Captain  Smitli 
or  the  devil.  Every  calf  that  died, 
every  cow  that  refused  to  yield  her 
milk,  every  boat  that  was  upset,  and 
every  unsuccessful  voyage  or  failure  of 
crop,  was  attributed  to  the  agency  of 
this  mysterious  stranger.  After  hia 
conviction  and  escape  he  was  never  seen. 
The  boatman  avoided  the  cove,  and  the 
huntsman  the  forest  that  surrounded 
the  "  Hufeisen  Bucht."  Whether  he 
or  his  family  were  there  no  one  knew, 
or  had  the  wish  or  the  courage  to  ascer- 
tain ;  all  that  was  known  was  that  no- 
body had  seen  him. 

The  following  year  I  again  accompa- 
nied the  court  to  Lunenburg,  and,  pro- 
curing an  Indian  canoe,  proceeded  to 
the  La  Halve,  and  entered  tho  beautiful 
and  romantic  little  cove.  Every  thing 
about  the  house  seemed  to  wear  the 
same  aspect  as  when  I  had  previously 
seen  it,  and  every  body  to  be  pursuing 
their  several  occupations  a.s  before. 
3Irs.  Smith  received  me  kindly  and  hos- 
pitably ;  but,  though  she  well  recollected 
me,  and  the  warm  interest  I  had  taken 
in  her  husband's  defence,  she  declinea 
giving  me  any  information  about  him. 
She  entered  fully  and  freely,  however, 
into  conversation  relative  to  the  abomi- 
nable charge  (as  she  designated  it)  that 
had  been  preferred  against  him,  and  the 
still  more  extraordinary  verdict,  wbioh 
was  neither  supported  by  law  nor  evi- 
dence. After  partaking  of  some  refresh- 
ment I  took  my  leave  of  her,  entreating 
her,  if  ever,  on  any  occasion,  she  thought 
I  could  be  of  any  service  cither  to  her- 
self or  her  husband,  not  tu  fail  to  com- 
tuand  me. 

Into  tho  upper  part  of  the  cove  fell  a 
large  stream,  which  was  fed  by  exten- 
sivu  lakes  in  the  interior.     Besides  tin 


insensibility  the 

[ufeisen  Buoht,'' 
ore,  became  now 
e  owner  had  this 
Drs  into  realities, 
,hat  its  occupants 
)  Prince  of  Darli- 
t  or  misfortune 
ed  in  the  country 
of  Captain  Smith 
calf  that  died, 
ed   to   yield  her 
b  was  upset,  and 
rage  or  failure  of 
,0  the  agency  of 
iger.      After  his 
de  was  never  seen. 
the  cove,  and  the 
that    surrounded 
t."      "Whether  he 
sro  no  one  knew, 
i  courage  to  ascer- 
lown  was  that  no- 

I  again  accompa- 
nenburg,  and,  pro- 
noe,  proceeded  to 
:ered  tho  beautiful 
)ve.     Every  thing 
lined  to  wear  the 
I  had  previously 
iy  to  be  pursuing 
itious   as    before, 
ae  kindly  and  hos- 
he  well  recollected 
;erest  I  had  taken 
ncc,  she  declineo 
jiatiou  about  him. 
freely,  however, 
,ivo  to  the  abonii- 
.esignated  it)  that 
jainst  him,  and  the 
.ry  verdict,  wbich 
i  by  law  nor  evi- 
ig  of  some  refresh- 
of  her,  entreating 
sion,  she  thought 
ice  cither  to  her- 
it  to  fail  to  cotu- 

1  of  the  cove  fell  a 
fas  fed  by  exten- 
tior.     Besidei  th« 


HORSE-SHOE  COVEi  OR,  HTPEISEN  BUCHT. 


SOI 


desire  1  had  to  revisit  the  family,  I  had 
another  object  in  view — fishing  for  sal- 
mon, for  which  I  was  fully  equipped. 
Instead,  therefore,  of  returning  to  the 
river,  I  ascended  the  stream,  which  I 
tried  with  indifferent  success  for  about 
three  miles,  when  my  progress  was  ar- 
rested by  a  cataract  of  great  height. 
While  pausing  to  consider  whether  I 
should  attempt  to  clamber  up  this  pre- 
cipitous ascent  or  return  to  the  main 
river,  I  heard  the  sound  of  an  axe  at  no 
greai  distance  from  the  right  bank  of 
the  brook.  Knowing  that  this  could 
alone  proceed  from  an  Indian  encamp- 
ment, 1  immediately  hastened  in  search 
of  it,  for  the  double  purpose  of  obtain- 
ing a  guide  through  the  woods  to  Petite 
Bividre,  a  distance  of  seven  miles,  and 
to  avoid  the  disagreeable  necessity  of 
again  intruding  upon  the  privacy  of 
Mrs.  Smith.  In  a  few  minutes  I  Maoh- 
«d  the  place,  and  suddenly  encountered 
my  friend  the  captain  at  the  door  of  the 
principal  tent,  which  stood  at  about 
fifty  yards'  distance  from  the  others. 
He  was  overjoyed  to  see  me,  and  press- 
ed me  to  remain  with  bim  all  night ;  an 
invitation  which,  for  many  reasons,  I 
was  anxious  to  receive  and  accept. 

"  Here  I  am,"  he  said,  "  in  perfect 
security,  as  you  see,  and  also  at  perfect 
liberty;  being  well  guarded  by  the 
ghosts  and  goblins  of  the  "  Hufeisen 
Buoht "  on  the  one  hand,  and  on  the 
other  by  my  faithful  allies  the  Indians, 
over  whom  I  possess  an  absolute  con- 
trol. I  do  not  consider  it  prudent  to 
reside  constantly  at  my  house,  because 
even  cowards  find  courage  in  numbers, 
and  there  is  no  telling  what  the  posse 
comitatus  of  the  county  might  take  it 
into  their  wise  heads  to  do.  I  frequent- 
ly visit  my  family  though,  and  some- 
times spend  two  or  three  days  there  at 
a  time ;  but  upon  these  occasions  al- 
ways take  the  prudent,  though,  I  be- 
lieve, unnecessary  precaution  of  having 
outlaying  scouts,  to  give  me  the  earliest 
intimation  of  an  attack.  I  often  smile 
at  the  idle  importance  with  which  I  am 
invested,  having  nothing  whatever  re- 
markable about  me,  but  for  having  been 
^U  my  life  the  victim  of  circumstances. 


I  knew  you  was  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  my  body-guard  are  now  in  search 
of  you  to  bring  you  hither.  Bead  this 
despatch  [a  note  from  his  wife]  while  1 
recall  them ;"  and  then,  taking  from 
one  of  the  posts  of  the  tent  a  bugle,  he 
blew  the  retreat. 

I  have  always  admired  the  notes  of 
this  instrument,  the  tones  of  which  are 
so  clear  and  powerful,  and  at  the  same 
time  so  sweet,  but  in  the  silence  and 
solitude  of  an  American  forest  they  are 
of  a  nature  never  to  be  forgotten. 

The  paper  he  had  put  into  my  bands 
ran  as  follows  : — 

"  Mr.  Sandford  is  now  fishing  on  the  brook, 
seek  or  avoid  him  as  you  think  proper ;  but,  from 
the  strong  interest  he  expresses  on  your  behaif, 
I  recommend  an  interview.  E.  M  " 

I  returned  it  to  him  without  making 
any  remark  upon  the  signature,  which 
plainly  disclosed  that  Smith  was  a  ficti- 
tious name,  and  merely  observed  that 
he  ought  not  to  be  surprised  if  people, 
who  were  not  aware  of  his  means  of  in- 
formation, regarded  his  knowledge  with 
something  more  than  astonishment.  He 
then  crossed  over  to  the  encampment, 
and  returned  with  an  Indian,  to  whom 
he  conversed  freely  in  his  own  lan- 
guage, who  immediately  set  shout  pre- 
paring a  couch  for  me  in  the  corner  of 
the  tent,  made  of  light  spruce  bouehs, 
over  which  he  spread  some  furs,  ana,  in 
a  few  minutes  more,  produced  a  capital 
supper  of  broiled  salmon,  smoked  her- 
rings and  dried  venison.  In  the  even- 
ing we  walked  up  and  down  in  front 
of  the  camp,  smoking  and  talking  until 
a  late  hour.  The  principal  topic  of  con- 
versation, as  you  may  naturally  suppose, 
was  the  crime  of  which  he  stood  con- 
victed. 

"  It  would  be  easy  for  me,"  he  said, 
"to  effect  my  escape,  if  I  thought 
proper  to  do  so,  and  I  certainly  would 
if  I  were  guilty ;  but  knowing  the 
charge  to  be  false,  and  feclin^ow  much 
flight  would  compromise  my  character, 
I  am  determined  not  to  leave  tho  pro- 
vince until  I  have  first  ascertained  that 
the  pedlar  has  loft  it  also.  I  have  my 
Indian  emissaries  abroad  seeking  him 
in  all  the  settlements  of  the  country 


'ff**U 


I. 


i* 


202 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


s 


N 


and  am  now  awaiting  their  report. 
That  I  am  not  what  I  seem  I  need  not 
tell  you,  but  who  and  what  I  am,  I  re- 
gret to  Bay,  I  cannot  at  present  inform 
you  ;  but  any  person  of  common  senae, 
I  should  have  supposed,  would  have 
found  it  difficult,  to  believe  that  a  man 
like  me  could  have  been  tempted  to 
commit  murder  to  possess  himself  of 
the  horn-combs,  the  pins,  needles  and 
thread  of  a  pedlar ;  and  still  less,  if  I 
were  a  magician,  as  these  people  be- 
lieve me  to  be,  that  I  could  content  my- 
self with  such  mean  plunder.  I  never 
was  more  astonished  in  my  life  than  at 
the  verdict  of  the  jury  and  the  implac- 
able resentment  of  the  people.  Foor 
simpletons  I  Did  they  suppose  that  I 
intended  to  remain  in  their  miserable 
prison,  to  gratify  their  idle  cariosity 
while  awaiting  the  intervention  of  gov- 
ernment? for  that  that  verdict  oould 
iver  have  been  sustained  I  cannot  bring 
myself  for  a  moment  to  imagine.  As 
soon  as  I  entered  the  jail,  which  is  not 
strong  enough  to  bold  a  rat,  I  examined 
it  most  carefully  and  minutely,  and  dis- 
covered, to  my  surprise,  that  one  of  the 
ihort  boards  of  the  floor,  which  is  a 
lingle  one,  was  loose. 

'^  Before  daylight  of  the  morning  of 
be  trial  I  lifted  it,  and  let  myself  down 
into  a  low  cellar  underneath,  which 
communicated  by  an  open  window  with 
the  street.  Escape,  therefore,  if  neces- 
sary, I  found  to  be  both  easy  and  cer- 
tain. The  dark  night  and  dreadful  storm 
that  ensued  afforded  the  opportunity  I 
desired.  Secreting  myself  near  the 
cellar-window,  I  awaited  a  flash  of  light- 
ning to  ascertain  the  exact  pontion  of 
the  sentinel,  whom  I  immediately  level- 
led by  a  blow  that  rendered  him  insen- 
sible. I  then  secured  him  in  the  man- 
ner you  have  heard,  and  as  it  was  an 
ibject  with  me  to  increase  the  terror 
with  which  I  was  regarded  in  order  to 
prevent  wu-suit,  I  carried  him  to  one 
of  the  carts  standing  near  the  tavern, 
and  covered  him  with  straw,  to  form  a 
Uieme  for  a  new  tale  of  wonder.  Just 
as  I  turned  into  the  street,  I  encoun- 
tered that  scoundrel  the  foreman  of  the 


jury,  who  endeavored  so  basely  to  rob 
me  of  my  reputation  and  life,  and  fear- 
ing that  he  might  give  the  alarm,  I  seii- 
bd  him  by  the  neckcloth,  which  I  twisted 
tight  enough  to  prevent  him  from  call- 
ing for  aid,  and  then  dragged  him  to 
the  edge  of  the  wood,  occasionally 
prompting  his  speed  by  a  blow  from  an 
ox-goad.  Having  reached  this  place  in 
safety,  I  released  him,  but  chased  him 
nearly  halfway  back  to  the  town,  be* 
laboring  him  unmercifully,  and  adding 
the  loudest  and  most  terrific  yells  I 
could  utter  to  the  despairing  shrieks 
of  the  terrified  juryman.  Such  infernat 
sounds  were  never  yet  vented,  and,  per 
haps  never  will  again  be  heard  in  L9 
nenburg." 

Those  were  the  unearthly  screams 
that  were  supposed  to  have  emanated 
from  Mr.  Caspar  Horn,  the  valiant  sen- 
tinel. * 

The  following  morning  Captain 
Smith  offered  to  guide  me  himself  a 
part  of  the  way  to  Petite  Riviere.  He 
said  that  about  two  miles  to  the  south* 
ward  of  where  we  then  were  was  a 
blazed  line,*  run  several  years  before- 
by  a  government  surveyor,  which  would 
conduct  me  to  a  mill  on  the  river,  near 
which  was  the  best  salmon  fishery  in 
the  psovince.  When  once  upon  it,  he 
said,  I  could  not  miss  (he  route ;  that 
he  was  sorry  he  could  not  escort  me  the 
whole  distance,  but  he  hoped  to  have 
the  pleasure  of  seeixig  me  on  my  re- 
turn. 

After  breakfast,  armed  with  his  gun 
and  his  fatal  arrows,  attended  by  his 
dogs,  and  having  his  bugle  slung  over 
his  shoulder  (for,  he  said,  he  never  went 
beyond  the  reach  ot  its  call  to  his  allies), 
he  accompanied  me  in  search  of  the 
line,  which,  he  said,  he  nad  not  seen  for 
several  years,  for  it  passed  through  a 
tract  of  land  covered  \nth  spruce  trees, 
and  unintersected  by  orooks,  which,  of 
course,  offered  no  attractions  to  the  hunt- 
er or  fisherman.     In  less  tb%n  half  an. 

•  This  is  a  term  applied  to  a  boundary  marlced 
by  cutting  a  ctiip  out  of  every  tree  in  tho  lineruo 
by  the  compass,  and  admirably  well  calculahil 
for  the  purpose. 


>  basely  to  rob 
I  life,  and  fear- 
\e  alarm,  I  seii- 
wliicli  I  twisted 
hiui  from  call- 
.ragged  him  to 
i,    occasionally 
a  blow  from  ac 
ed  this  place  in 
but  chased  him 
0  the  town,  be- 
lUy,  and  addins 
terrific  yells  1 
spairing  shrieks 
Such  infernai 
vented,  and, 
oe  heard  in 


Z 


learthly  screams 
)  have  emanated 
I,  the  valiant  sen- 

lorning     Captain 
ie  me  himself  a 
bite  Riviere.     He 
iles  to  the  south* 
ben  were   was  a 
eral  years  before- 
jyor,  which  would 
)Q  the  river,  near 
laimon  fishery  in 
once  upon  it,  he 
I  the  route;  that 
not  escort  me  the 
hoped  to  have 
me  on  my  re- 
Led  with  his  gun 
1  attended  by  his 
bugle  slung  over 
^id,  he  never  went 
I  call  to  his  allies), 
In  search  of  the 
J  nad  not  seen  for 
Lssed  through  a 
Lith  spruce  trees, 
lorooks,  which,  of 
ItJODS  to  the  hunt- 
lisa  than  half  an. 

I  a  boundary  marked 
l-y  tree  in  tho  line  run 
lably  well  calculaWl 


HORSE-SHOE  COVE;   OR,  HUFEISEN  BUCHT. 


208 


honr  fi<nD  tho  time  we  left  the  encamp- 
ment we  reached  the  blazed  line,  which 
was  distinctly  visible. 

"  Here  we  are,"  he  exclaimed ;  "  there 
can  be  no  mistake  now ;  it  will  lead  you 
in  safety  to  the  river,  I  will  proceed 
with  you  about  a  mile  further,  which  is 
as  far  as  is  compatible  with  my  safety, 
or  the  supposed  beat  of  my  predeces- 
iorjj)Oor  Nicholas  Spohr." 

We  had  not  travelled  far  before  a 
Tiolent  barking  of  the  dogs  awakened 
our  apprehension.  Smith  immediately 
paused,  and  examined  the  priming  of 


!i 


IS  gun, 


which  he  handed  to  me,  and 


asked  me  to  hold  it  for  him  a  few  min- 
utes: he  then  took  ofif  his  bow  and 
strung  it,  and  exchanged  it  with  me  for 
the  former. 

"Let  u.  'Ivance  cautiously,"  he  said ; 
"  there  is  something  unusual  here  :  my 
impression  is,  they  have  come  upon  a 
bear,  and  if  so,  we  may  possibly  need 
both  the  bullet  and  the  arrow.  What- 
ever it  is,  they  have  treed  it,  or  brought 
it  to  bay,  for  it  is  stationary,  and  we  are 
close  upon  them.     Let  me  go  ahead." 

"  The  pedlar,  by  G— d,"  were  the  first 
words  I  heard  from  my  excited  oom- 

E anion,  while  loud  and  long  continued 
owls  from  the  dogs  succeeded  their 
barking.  It  was  a  dreadful  spectacle. 
The  first  object  that  met  our  view  was 
a  pair  of  up-turned  snow-shoes,  beyond 
which  extended  the  skeleton  of  a  man 
grasping  a  long  corroded  knife ;  near 
him  lay  a  rusty  pistol,  which  had  evi- 
dently been  discharged ;  by  his  side 
were  the  tattered  skin  and  the  frame  of 
an  enormous  bear ;  and  a  little  further 
off  the  box  containing  the  wares  of  the 
unfortunate  tramper.  Smith  was  a  man 
of  great  nerve  and  self-possession ; 
though  agitated,  he  was  by  no  means 
overcome.  His  first  thought  appeared 
to  be  of  his  wife  and  not  of  himself 

''  Emily  must  know  this  immediately," 
he  said.  He  then  discharged  his  gun 
and  blew  a  long  loud  blast  on  his  bugle, 
and  repeated  those  signals  several  times. 
After  which  he  proceeded  to  examine 
the  relative  situation  of  tbe  man  and 
the  bear,  and  conjecture  and  describe  the 


nature  of  the  conflict  which  had  prored 
so  fatal  to  both. 

"  Fow  lucky  it  is,  my  good  friend," 
he  said,  "that  you  are  here  to  instruct 
me  what  legal  steps  are  necessary  to  be 
taken  to  vindicate  my  character,  and 
redeem  me  from  the  penalties  of  thf 
law ! " 

He  then  resumed  his  bugle,  and 
sounded  it  with  an  air  of  impatience, 
which  was  soon  answered  by  a  shrill 
whistle  and  the  appearance  of  two  In- 
dians. To  these  he  made  an  animated 
harangue  in  the  Micinao  language,  ac- 
companied by  much  gesticulation  after 
their  own  manner,  pointing  alternately 
to  the  bodies,  himself,  and  his  house. 
One  remained  behind,  and  the  other 
disappeared  with  incredible  speed,  while 
we  returned  by  a  direct  course  to  the 
encampment.  According  to  my  advice 
he  ordered  these  people  to  remove  their 
tents  immediately  to  the  spot  where  we 
had  found  the  bodies,  and  not  to  permit 
any  thing  to  be  displaced  from  the  posi- 
tion  in  which  they  had  been  discovered. 
We  then  proceeded  with  all  practicable 
speed  to  the  "  Hufeisen  Bucht" 

The  story  is  now  soon  told.  The 
coroner  was  sent  for,  and  a  jury  with 
much  difficulty  assembled  and  taken  by 
a  circuitous  route  to  the  spot  (for  noth- 
ing in  the  world  would  .induce  them  to 
pass  by  the  cove),  and  a  verdict  of  ac- 
cidental death  was  returned.  From 
what  they  saw  they  were  constrained 
to  do  so ;  but  as  every  thing  was  possi- 
ble with  a  magician,  they  were  far  from 
satisfied  that  the  captain  and  his  black 
sorcerer  had  not  conjured  up  those  ap- 
pearances to  deceive  the  public.  Bat 
as  they  had  suffered  so  much  by  his 
conviction,  they  now  thought  it  not  un- 
wise to  appease  his  wrath  by  an  ap- 
parent acquittal.  When  the  box  was 
opened,  the  first  object  that  met  the  aa- 
tonished  sight  of  Smith  was  the  silver 
cup,  which  had  occasioned  th|Marly  de- 
parture of  the  pedlar  and^TC  unjust 
suspicions  against  the  boy  ;  nor  was  he 
less  surprised  by  the  production  of  a 
black  fox-skin,  which  he  recognised  as 
his  own  by  a  bullet  mark  through  the 


11 


'H; 


It 


•'!tl 


■.HI 


1?.. 


204 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;   OR,  LIFt  IN   A  COLONY. 


bod  J,  that  had  rnnoh  impaired  its  ralae, 
and  the  loss  of  which  he  had  always 
attributed  to  the  carelessness  or  dis- 
honesty of  the  person  to  whom  he  had 
entrusted  the  freight  of  his  furs.  After 
the  discharge  of  the  jury,  and  our  return 
to  the  "  Hufeisen  Bucht,"  while  dis- 
coursing upon  these  events,  he  suddenly 
remarked — 

'*  That  black  fox-skin  has  recalled  to 
my  mind  the  whole  affair.     The  boy, 
after  all,  had  some  foundation  for  his 
charge.     I  now  remember,  thr*  late  on 
that  day  on  which  the  officer  and  the 
tramper  arrived,  I  found  a  vessel  at 
anchor  in    the  river,   nearly  opposite 
to  the  cove,  and  that  the  skipper,  Peter 
Stmmp,  promised  me  when  the  wind 
should  be  fair  to  take  on  board  to  Hali- 
&x  a  very  valuable  roll  of  furs,  which  T 
was  desirous  of  sending  to  England 
He  was  one  of  the  very  few  German 
who  were  either  not  afraid  of  me  or  my 
pence,  or  so  fully  believed  in  my  power 
as  to  deem  it  safe  to  comply  witn  my 
orders.     I  recollect  prophesying  to  him 
that  the  wind  would  chanee  a  little  be- 
fore daylight,  and  directed  him  if  such 
should  be  the  case,  as  it  was  a  moon- 
light night,  to  come  and  tap  at  my  win- 
dow, and  I  would  assist  him  to  convey 
the  package  down  to  his  boat.     He  ac- 
cordingly came,  and  we  carried  it  from 
the  projection  through  the  hall  (where 
the  boy  slept)  as  noiselessly  as  possible, 
so  as  not  to  disturb  the  officer.     The 
manner  in  which  it  was  rolled  naturally 
exhibited  the  white  tanned  side  of  the 
outer  skin,  and  the  projecting  fur  at  the 
end  might  easily  have  suggested  the 
idea  of  the  hair  of  the  head,  while  the 
cloak  was  thrown  across  it,  to  be  worn 
afterwards   by   myself  when    catching 
fresh  fish  for  breakfast  through  the  hole 
in  the  ice — a  novel  mode  of  fishing  sug- 
gested to  ,me  by  the  Indians.     Mow  I 
should    have  overlooked    or  forgotten 
these  M||iculars  I  cannot  imagine  un- 

NoTE. — As  an  illuRtrution  of  the  manner  in  which  traditions  becoqie  confused,  and  finally  lost  alto- 
gether, the  Judge  told  me  that  the  preceding  year,  when  revisiting  the  scenes  of  his  youthful  days,  he 
ascended  the  La  Htiive  for  the  purpose  of  taking  a  last  look  at  the  Hufeisen  Budit.  He  said, 
that  having  known  it  when  a  young  man,  in  all  its  beauty,  he  could  not  have  believed  it  possibte 
t|i«t  th«  imvv*rn*ntg,  ae  the  reckless  clearings  in  America  are  called,  could  have  so  transformed 


less  it  arose  from  the  profound  contempt 
I  felt  both  for  the  boy  and  his  story,  or 
from  a  fatality  that  has  always  accom- 
panied me  through  life,  for  I  have  ever 

been  the  victim  of  circumstances." 

•  •  •  •  • 

Two  years  after  this  event,  Captain 
Smith  called  upon  me  at  Halifax,  and 
informed  me  that  he  and  his  family 
were  about  embarking  on  the  following 
day  for  England  ;  that  he  had  brought 
away  a  few  articles  of  'value  with  him 
from  the  Hufeisen  Bucht,  distributed 
the  rest  among  his  old  friends,  the  In- 
dians, and  burned  down  the  buildings, 
which  being  of  little  value  in  themselves, 
and  wholly  unsaleable,  could  only  serve 
to  record  the  misfortunes  of  their  past, 
or  awaken  the  fears  of  their  future 
owners. 

At  a  subsequent  period  I  had  the 
pleasure  to  renew  my  acquaintance  with 
him  in  his  native  land,  England,  when 
he  gave  me  a  narrative  of  the  causes 
that  compelled  him  to  expatriate  him- 
self, and  related  to  me  the  particulars 
of  his  singular  and  adventurous  life  in 
the  oolonies,  under  the  assumed  name 
of  Smith,  the  least  remarkable  of  which 
was  his  residence  at  La  Halve.  The 
land  comprised  within  the  grant  of  poor 
old  Nicholas  Spohr  at  the  cove,  and  a 
large  tract  extending  a  considerable  dis- 
tance on  each  side  of  it,  remained  dere- 
lict for  many  years;  but  as  it  was  cov- 
ered with  valuable  timber,  cupidity  in 
time  proved  stronger  than  superstition, 
and  the  forest  has  all  long  since  bein 
removed,  and  the  appearance  of  the 
place  is  so  effectually  changed,  that  yon 
would  now  find  great  difficulty  in  iden- 
tifying it.  The  story  of  Nicholad  and 
Captain  Smith  is  only  known  to  a  few 
old  men  like  myself,  and  will  soon  be 
lost  *  altogether,  in  a  country  where 
there  is  no  one  likely  to  found  a  ro- 
mance on  the  inmates  and  incidents  of 
the  "  Hufeisen  Buoht." 


ind  contempt 

his  story,  or 

[ways  acoom- 

ir  I  have  ever 

stances." 

•  • 

vent,  Captain 
1  Halifex,  and 
d  his  family 
the  following 
e  had  brought 
alue  with  him 
iit,  distributed 
ricnds,  the  In- 
the  buildings, 
)  in  themselves, 
juld  only  serve 
B  of  their  past, 
f   their  future 

riod  I  had  the 
^uaintance  with 
England,  when 
e  of  the  causes 
expatriate  him- 
the  particulars 
renturous  life  in 
I  assumed  name 
Irkable  of  which 
.a  Halve.    The 
he  grant  of  poor 
the  cove,  and  a 
considerable  dis- 
,  remained  dere- 
ut  as  it  was  cov- 
aber,  cupidity  in 
lan  superstition, 
long  since  beSn 
pearance  of  the 
lianged,  that  yon 
iifficulty  in  iden- 
(f  Nicholad  and 
,  known  to  a  few 
ind  will  soou  be 
country  where 
to  found  a  ro- 
ind  incidents  of 


HORSE-SHOE  COYEt  OK,  HUFEISEN  BUCHT. 


206 


•od  disfigured  Mn  lovely  spat  as  they  nave  done.  He  waa  shocked  to  find  thiit  it  was  a  common- 
looking,  naked  Inlet  or  indentation,  in  a  groat  bare  field,  overlooked  by  an  unsightly  log-house. 
Three  small  green  mounds  still  marked  ine  site  of  the  former  buildings,  but  the  glory  of  the  place 
had  departed  for  ever.  The  peopiu  tnat  resided  upon  it,  who  were  squuiters,  knew  nothing  of  its 
history  beyond  that  of  a  murder  navmg  been  committed  there  by  the  Indians,  in  the  first  settle- 
ment of  tne  country.  A  more  respcctaoie  family,  living  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  asserted, 
that  the  original  proprietor,  Nicholas  Spohr,  had  been  robbed  and  barbarously  killed  by  a  pirate 
called  Captain  Kidd  or  Captain  Smith,  that  there  was  a  tradition  that  the  buccuniers  h<id  buried 
great  treasure  there,  and  that  one  Jacob  Lohnas,  lately  deceased,  used  to  aver,  t!iat  at  the  full  of  the 
moon  in  September  (about  the  time  of  the  first  white  frost),  a  littlo  old  man,  with  a  long  pipe  in 
one  hand  and  a  cane  in  the  other,  had  often  been  seen  walking  on  the  beach  at  midnight :  that  it 
was  a  long  time  since  they  had  heard  the  story  but  they  thought  Jacob  oaid  lie  once  hoard  him 
ringing  a  littl)*  hand>beU. 


51? 


Si. 

It:.-*, 


m' 


-U 


1  and  finally  lost  alto- 
[his  youthful  days,  he 

|n  Budht.  He  said, 
e  believed  it  possible 
kav«  so  transforniei 


THE  SEASONS, 

OB,  COMERS  AND  GOERS. 


■m^l 


"  The  seasons  in  this  colony,"  said 
the  Judge,  "  ate  not  only  accompanied 
by  the  ordinary  mutations  of  weather 
oDserred  in  other  countries,  but  present 
a  constant  and  rapid  succession  of  inci- 
dents and  people.  From  the  opening 
of  the  ports  to  the  close  of  navigation, 
every  'hing  and  every  body  is  in  motion, 
or  in  ,ransitu.  The  whole  province  is  a 
sort  of  railroad  station,  where  crowds 
are  perpetually  arriving  and  departing. 
It  receives  an  emigrant  population,  and 
either  hurries  it  onward,  or  furnishes 
another  of  its  own  in  exchange.  It  is 
the  land  of  '  comers  and  goers.'  The 
yeomanry  of  the  rural  districts  approach 
nearer  to  the  character  of  inhabitants 
than  those  who  dwell  in  towns  or  vil- 
lages, but  the  love  of  change  is  inherent 
even  among  them,  and  richer  lands, 
warmer  climates,  and  better  times,  those 
meteor  terms  that  seduce  them  hither, 
still  precede  them,  and  light  the  way  to 
Canada  or  the  far  west,  to  ruin  or  the 
grave. 

'*  That  portion  which  may  be  denom- 
inated society,  presents  the  same  dis- 
solving views.  New  groups  gradually 
fill  the  space  vacated  by  others.  The 
new  know  not  the  old,  and  the  old  in- 
habitant feels  that  he  is  in  a  land  of 
strangers.  Governors  and  their  staffs, 
admirals  and  their  squadrons,  generals 
and  their  regiments,  come  and  go,  ere 
their  names  have  become  familiar  to  the 
ear.  Commissariat,  ordnance,  and  dock- 
yard establishments,  are  landing-places 
in  the  ascent  of  life,  where  the  aspiring 
and  fortunate  rest  for  a  moment,  recruit 
their  strength,  and  recommence  their 


upward  journey.  At  the  capital,  all  if 
change :  it  is  the  abode  of  the  houseless 
the  wayfarer,  and  the  stranger,  but 
home  is  emphatically  England  to  the 
English,  Ireland  to  the  Irish,  and.  Scot- 
land to  the  Scotch.  To  the  Nova  Sco- 
tian,  the  province  is  his  native  place, 
but  North  America  is  his  country.  The 
colony  may  become  his  home  when  the 
provinces  become  a  nation.  It  will  then 
have  a  name,  the  inhabitants  will  be- 
come a  people,  and  the  people  have  a 
country  and  a  home.  Until  that  period, 
it  would  seem  as  if  they  were  merelj 
comers  and  goers. 

"  "f  ou  will  soon  have  an  opportunity 
of  witnessing  this  moving  mass  of  stran- 
gers, for  the  spring  is  now  opening.  It 
arrives  later  here  than  elaewliero.  has 
but  little  time  to  remain,  a  vast  deal  of 
business  to  dispatch,  and,  being  pos- 
sessed of  the  power  of  ubiquity,  is  at 
work  every  where.  It  comes  with  a 
clear,  unclouded  'sky,  a  bright  and  daz- 
zling sun,  and  a  soft  and  balmy  south- 
west air.  It  pauses  for  a  while,  as  if  to 
survey  the  extent  of  its  labor,  and  smiles 
with  satisfaction  and  delight  at  the  con- 
templation of  its  own  power,  and  the 
speed  and  ease  with  which  it  can  dis- 
solve the  chains  of  winter,  and  vivify 
and  clothe  prostrate  and  inanipiate 
nature.  In  an  hour  or  two,  the  snow 
begins  to  be  soft  and  moist,  the  ice  to 
glisten,  and  then  grow  dim  with  trick- 
ling tears,  while  the  frozen  covering  of 
accumulated  drifts  releases  its  hold,  and 
slowly  moves  from  the  roofs  of  the 
houses,  and  falls  like  an  avalanche  on 
the  streets,  which  first  assume  a  yellow, 


capital,  all  it 
the  houseless 
stranger,  but 
Ingland  to  the 
rish,  and.  Scot- 
the  Nova  Sco- 
i  native  place, 
( country.   The 
home  when  the 
n.     It  will  then 
bitants  will  be- 
people  have  a 
atil  that  period, 
ey  were  merelj 

an  opportunity 
»  mass  of  stran- 
)W  opening.     It 
elsewlierc,  has 
1  a  vast  deal  of 
[nd,  being    pos- 
ubiquity,  is  at 
„  comes  with  a 
Ibright  and  daz- 
id  balmy  south- 
a  while,  as  if  to 
labor,  and  smiles 
[light  at  the  con- 
power,  and  the 
dich  it  can  dis- 
fiter,  and  vivify 
and    inanimate 
)r  two,  the  snow 
loist,  the  ice  to 
dim  with  trick- 
jzen  covering  of 
ises  its  hold,  and 
le  roofs  of   the 
an  avalanche  on 
assume  a  yellow, 


THE  SEASONS. 


207 


and  then  a  dingy  brown  color.  The 
hills,  meanwhile,  pour  forth  their 
streams,  which,  descending  to  low  pla- 
ce?  in  the  vain  hope  of  finding  their 
accustomed  vents,  form  large  pools  of 
water,  that  threaten  to  unite  and  sab- 
merge  the  town.  Every  body  is  occu- 
pied in  preventing  this  calamity,  and 
axes,  shovels,  and  bars  of  iron  are  in 
requisition,  to  force  the  entrances  of  the 
subterranean  caverns,  and  open  a  pas- 
sage to  the  sea. 

^  At  night,  time  is  given,  by  the  ces- 
sation of  the  thaw,  for  the  waters  to 
pass  off,  and  in  the  morning  the  work 
of  destruction  again  commences.    Long, 
bare  pieces  of  muddy  street  appear; 
teamsters  may  be  seen   urging    their 
weary  cattle  across  these  sloughs  to  the 
sides  of  the  road  where  the  sun  has  had 
less  power,  and  there  is  still  sufficient 
ice  to  support  the  sleds ;  little  canals 
are  every  where  in  process  of  formation, 
to  conduct  the  water  from  courtyards 
to  the  reservoirs  of  the  streets,  and 
neighbors  assist  each  other  with  good- 
natured  zeal  in  this  work  of  mutual 
defence.     In  a  few  days,  the  snow  dis- 
appears from  the  town,  save  here  and 
there  a  black  and  slimy  heap,  which  a 
covering  of  ashes  or  of  straw  has  pro- 
tected from  the  searching  rays  of  the 
sun.     Is  this  a  sudden  thaw  peculiar  to 
this  climate,  or  is  it   the  advent  of 
Spring  ?     It  is  a  question  that  may  well 
admit  of  doubt,  and  experience  is  in 
favor  of  either  opinion,  until  the  answer 
is  given  from  above.      Every  body  is 
abroad,  and  every  head  is  raised  to  the 
heavens,  and  vociferous  greetings  are 
given  to  the  numerous  heralds,  now  pro- 
claiming  the   termination    of  winter; 
immense  flocks  of  wild  geese  are  con- 
tinually passing  from   North  to  South, 
in  their  semi-annual  migration.     The 
first  comers  have  come,  and,  like  all 
other  emigrants,  lose  great  numbers  on 
their    arrival.      Death  is  busy  every 
I  where.    The  shop-boy  has  a  holiday,  the 
apprentice  makes  one,  the  sportsman  is 
ia  the  field,  and  every  little  urchin,  in 
defiance  of  orders,  and  in  contempt  of 
the  penalties  of  domestic  law,  joins  the 
corps  of  sharp-shooters. 


"  This  sunny  weather  is  always  buo* 
ceeded  by  a  heavy  gale  from  the  south- 
ward, and  the  floating  ice  in  the  river 
is  driven  into  the  basin  of  Minas,  and 
thence  into  the  Bay  of  Fundy.  Boats 
are  seen  floating  on  its  tranquil  surface, 
and  knots  of  strange-looking  men,  with 
the  gait  of  sailors  but  the  dress  of  lands- 
men, wearing  long  blue  coats,  beaver 
hats,  and  gray,  home-spun  trowsers,and 
carrying  bundles  in  their  hands,  are 
standing  in  the  streets  in  eager  consul- 
tation. They  are  the  owners  and  mar- 
iners of  the ,  dismantled  vessels  in  the 
port,  who  have  spent  the  winter  with 
their  families  on  their  farms,  and  are 
now  preparing  to  bond  their  sails,  take 
on  board  a  load  of  gypsum  with  which 
the  wharfs  are  covered,  and  proceed  on 
their  first  voyage  to  the  States.  The 
'0!  heave-o!'  or  the  merry,  cheerful 
sailors'  chorus,  rises  on  the  breeze,  and 
the  docks  are  full  of  life  and  animation. 
Loud  and  hearty  cheers,  from  the  noisy 
throng  on  the  quay,  announce  that  a 
vessel  with  the  colonial  symbol  of 
Spring — a  spruce  bough  at  her  foretop 
— has  just  cast  anchor,  the  first  comer, 
and  that  another  has  just  hauled  inl . 
the  stream,  the  first  goer  of  the  season. 

"Apart  from  this  assemblage  is  a 
gi^oup  of  women :  many  kind  words  and 
benedictions  are  heard,  many  tears  :tLed, 
and  loving  embraces  exchanged  in  this 
sad  and  sorrowing  circle.  It  is  a  leave- 
taking  of  friends  and  relations,  of  some 
native  females,  who  are  about  to  seek 
their  fbrtunes  in  the  great  republic, 
where  they  are  to  cease  to  be  servants, 
and  become  factory  ladies,  and  where 
they  will  commence  their  career  by 
being  helps,  and  hope  to  terminate  it  bv 
becoming  helpmates.  Hope,  and  novel- 
ty, and  a  new  world  are  with  the  exiles, 
but  memory,  with  its  happy  past,  and 
loneliness  and  desertion,  with  its  dreary 
future,  is  the  lot  of  those  they  leave 
behind  them.  Thus  is  it  ever  in  life — 
it  is  not  those  who  are  taken,  but  those 
who  remain  to  mourn,  that  are  to  be 
pitied.  One  man  appears  to  hover 
around  them  in  great  distress,  unable 
to  go,  and  unwilliT'g  to  be  separated 
from  them,  and  wa.:'4ers  to  and  iro.  like 


,  1l« 

•I  •» 

V 

"til, 


IT 


M-J. 


f 

{•"it, 


SOS 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


"Hi 


'•<»■  ■*, 


one  who  cannot  decide  what  coarse  to 
pnraue.  At  last  he  assumes  the  oouraffe 
of  desperation,  joins  the  weepins  circle, 
and,  after  some  apparent  diffioulty,  pre- 
vails upon  one  oi  them  to  walk  apart 
with  him,  and  indulce  him  with  the 
melancholy  pleasure  of  exchanging  their 
sad  adieus  in  private.  The  fair  one 
yields  to  his  entreaties,  and,  after  a 
short  but  embarrassing  interview,  aban- 
dons her  migration,  and  remains  in  her 
own  country,  to  consent  to  a  union 
which  she  no  doubt  thought  ought  to 
have  been  earlier  proposed. 

"  The  place  of  the  weeping  friends  is 
soon  supplied  by  arrivals  from  the 
strange  sail.  In  exchange  for  the  '  fac- 
tory udies'  exported,  American  itine- 
rant pedlars,  lecturers,  and  speculators, 
are  imported.  A  tall,  thin  man,  with  a 
pair  of  shoulders  of  remarkably  narrow 
dimensions,  and  a  neck  of  unusual 
length,  dressed  in  a  suit  of  black,  with 
a  satin  waistcoat  surmounted  by  several 
coils  of  gold  chain,  and  wearing  a  glased 
leather  stock,  and  a  low-crowned,  broad- 
brimmed  hat,  mounts  guard  on  the 
wharf  over  a  large  black  trunk  covered 
with  yellow  copper-looking  bolt-heads, 
secured  by  clasps  of  the  same  brilliant 
metal  at  the  corners  and  edges,  and 
having  his  name  and  title  on  a  long 
brass  plate  on  the  top,  '  Mr.  John 
Smith,  P.P.M.,  CO.,  Mss..'  which  enig- 
matical letters  signify  Professor  of 
Phrenology  and  Mesmerism,  Gape  Cod, 
Massachusetts. 

In  a  few  minutes  he  is  joined  by  a 
swarthy,  foreign-looking  man,  with  a 
long  beard  ana  bald  head,  and  shabbilv 
dressed,  carrying  a  travelling  haversack 
on  his  shoulders,  and  something  in  a 

freen  bag  above  it,  resembling  a  violin, 
t  is  Mr.  Nehemiah  Myers,  singing* 
master  to  the  tribe  of  Levi,  as  he  calls 
himself,  but  the  wandering  Jew,  as  he 
is  universally  known  over  the  whole 
United  States,  every  part  of  which  he 
has  traversed  on  foot,  supporting  him- 
self on  his  journey  by  his  musical  talents. 
He  visits  houses  in  the  rural  districts, 
and  relates  his  travels,  beguiling  the 
time  with  tales  of  his  strange  adven- 
tures, until  it  is  late  at  night,  when  he 


is  offered  a  bed,  and,  having  effected  a 
lodgment,  remains  a  day  or  two,  sing- 
ing or  playing  on  his  violin,  having  a 
choice  collection  of  psalmody  for  sedate 
families,  of  fashionable  songs  for  those 
who  are  fond  of  such  music,  and  baccha- 
nalian ditties  for  the  bar-rooms  of  inns. 
He  is  sober,  amusing,  and  honest,  and 
accepts  hospitality,  or  some  trifling  re- 
muneration for  his  services.  He  talks 
so  familiarly  of  Jewish  history,  that 
many  people  feel  perruaded  they  have 
seen  and  oonversea  wi*>h  the  real  wan- 
derer. 

"  The  party  is  now  increased  by  the 
addition  of  a  third  pe^'son.  He  is  a 
stout,  jolly-looking  fellow,  with  a  face- 
tious expression  of  face,  which  is  some- 
what increased  by  a  knowing-looking 
travelling-cap  worn  jauntingly  on  one 
side.  He  carries  a  carpet  bag  in  one 
hand,  and  a  cloak  in  the  other,  both  oi 
which  he  deposits  on  the  trunk  of  skulls, 
diagrams,  and  calico  vhirts,  belonging 
to  bis  friend,  the  phrenoiopist,  in  order 
to  await  the  landing  of  the  rest  of  the 
party,  and  they  then  proceed  together 
to  the  inn.  He  takes  out  a  cigar-case, 
lights  a  Havana  of  superior  flavor,  puts 
both  hands  into  his  brofches  -  pock 
ets,  and  commences  conversation  with 
any  one  near  him,  with  as  mvch  ease  as 
if  he  had  known  him  fam«4arly  for 
many  years. 

" '  Grand  location  for  trade  t  as,  stran- 
ffer.     Guess  it's  what  you  may  eall  the 
heart  of  the  country.     Beckon  «t  ain't 
easy  to  ditto  it  any  where.     I>'*minds 
me  of  the  rich  bottoms  of  the  low* — was 
you  ever  there  1    Great  place  for  mills 
that.     Will  you  have  a  cigar  V — ^  Q  bank 
you,  I  don't  smoke.'    '  First  chop  ai  NcK 
sir,  I  do  assure  you — presume  you  w-»«»W 
be  pleased  with  it,  if  you  did.     i^nr 
.mills  here?' — ^'Several' — 'Any  whc* 
mills,  I  mean  ?' — '  0,  yes,  a  good  many 
'  Have  they  the  modern  improvements 
the  coolers,  the  cleansers,  the  brushers 
dusters,  and  so  on  V — '  No,  they  are  all 
common,  old-fashioned  affairs.' — 'Ah!' 
said  the  jolly  man ;  and  he  withdraws 
his  hands  from  his  pockets,  and,  taking  I 
his  cigar  from  his  mouth   with   one, 
knocks  the  ashes  from  it  with  the  other,  I 


,^\$'. 


t 


THE  SEASON& 


901 


replMM  it,  and  rebamM  hii  old  attitude, 
repeating  to  himself  the  satisfactory 
ejaottlation,  'Ahem I'  which  seems  to 
express  that  he  has  reoeired  the  infor- 
mation  he  desires. 

"  *  Which  is  the  host  inn  here,  stran- 
ger?'—'The  Stirlinff  Castle.'—'  Ahem  I 
where  are  them  millB  located?' — ^'On 
the  Clyde  and  Jordan  rirers.' — 'Aht 
and  any  good  liquor  at  that  are  inn  V — 
'  Very.' — '  I  am  slad  to  hear  it.  Oirn 
ain't  patronised  in  a  gineral  way,  as  it 
ought  to  be,  as  a  native  production ;  and 
it's  always  so  everlasting  new — it  com- 
monly wants  eight  days  of  being  a  week 
old.  Beeular  pyson.  Who  is  the  prin- 
cipal mill  -  owner  1 '— '  One  Ebeneser 
Oranok.' — '  Cranck  I  Cranck  t  not  a  bad 
name  for  a  Miller  that  I  Cranck  t  come, 
I  like  that,  now.' 

"The  jolly  man  attracts  attention; 
he  is  a  queer-looking  fellow,  so  free  and 
easy,  too,  and  so  inquisitive.  Who  is 
he?  Nobody  knows,  but  Mr.  John 
Smith;  and  the  P. P.M.,  C.C.,  Msa., 
says  he  is  Colonel  Smut,  or  the  Smutty 
Colonel,  as  he  is  called  in  the  States. 
'  Ah !  his  lectures  are  not  very  delicate, 
then — not  fit  for  ladies  to  hear ;  they 
won't  go  down  in  this  country.  He  had 
better  keep  his  anecdotes  for  the  bar- 
room of  a  canteen.' — ^  He  is  no  lecturer,' 
rejoins  Mr.  Smith ;  '  no  theorist,  but  a 
practical  man.  He  has  invented  an 
apparatus  to  attach  to  grist  mills,  to 
cleanse  wheat  of  the  smut.  He  has 
taken  out  a  patent  for  it,  and  come  here 
to  dispose  of  it,  and  set  up  the  gear. 
He  talks  of  nothing  else,  and  is  there- 
fore called  Colonel  Smut,  or  the  Smutty 
Colonel.  His  name  is  Jonathan  Ban- 
croft.' Corn  brooms,  horn  rakes,  bush- 
pullers,  straw-cutters,  wooden  docks, 
and  heaps  of  Yankee  notions,  are  now 
put  on  snore  for  Pineo  Bigelo,  who  in- 
tends to  sell  them,  as  he  expresses  it, 
for  half  nothing ;  and,  if  money  is  scarce, 
receive  old  iron,  broken  copper  or  brass, 
rags,  horns,  or  wool  in  return.  His 
time  is  short  and  precious,  and  he  in- 
tends to  give  great  bargains  to  his 
friends. 

"But  who  is  that  sedate-looking  man 
with  spectacles,  who,  having  landed  a 
14 


well-made,  tall,  bony  hone  and  a  wag- 
gon, with  an  India-rubber  awning  over 
It,  is  now  takin{[  his  seat,  and  preparing 
to  drive  to  the  in|i  ?  He  is  a  travel- 
ling doctor,  and  vender  of  patent  med- 
icines. He  can  cure  gout,  rheumatism, 
dispepsey,  consumption,  and  all  the  other 
ills  that  flesh  is  heir  to.  His  medicines 
are  strong  but  innocent,  simple  but  cer- 
tain. They  are  all  vesetable  prepara- 
tions, the  secrets  of  which  have  oeeu 
Eurchased  of  the  Indians,  or  discovered 
y  experience,  and  a  thorough  know- 
ledge of  chemistry.  The  phrenologist 
knows  him,  and  says  he  has  the  bump 
of  benevolence  largely  developed,  and 
the  scientific  faculties  more  extensively 
displayed  than  he  ever  before  observed. 
The  doctor  returns  the  compliment,  and 
tells  of  the  large  and  respectable  audi- 
ences attracted  by  the  lectures  of  his 
friend.  The  broom  and  notion  man  is 
an  unprofessional  fellow,  that  lowers  the 
name  of  the  great  nation  abroad  bv  his 
tricks  of  trade,  and  they  do  not  know 
him ;  while  Colonel  Smut  is  able  to 
speak  for  himself ;  and,  as  for  his  ma* 
ohinery,  it  only  requires  to  be  seen  to 
be  admired,  and  to  be  understood  to  be 
valued. 

"  Day  by  day,  the  exchange  of  emi- 
gration for  immigration  continues,  with 
this  difference,  that  those  who  go,  sel* 
dom  return,  except  to  speak  of  disap- 
pointed hopes  and  broken  fortunes,  and 
that  those  who  come,  remain  only  for  a 
season.  Betreating  winter  now  rallies, 
and  makes  a  last  and  desperate  effort 
to  regain  its  lost  ground.  It  rides  on 
the  cold  northern  blast,  or,  driving  the 
floating  ice-fields  of  the  St.  Lawrence 
and  Labrador  before  it,  fills  the  Straits 
of  Northumberland,  blockades  the  adja- 
cent harbors  with  its  enormous  icebergs, 
and  effectually  retards  all  vegetation, 
when  suddenly  it  emerges  again  from 
the  eastward,  and  covers  the  earth  with 
snow.  Long,  tedious,  and  fierce  con- 
flicts between  these  two  contending 
seasons  ensue,  till  the  sut^cors  of  ad- 
vancing Summer  terminate  the  contest. 
Spring  reigns  triumphant  The  lakes 
throw  off  their  wintry  torpor,  the  forest 
yields  up  its  masses  of  snow,  and  the 


\ 


1 


I 

4, 


V^ 

•i'" 


t- 


910 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I  OR,  Lift  IN  A  COLONr. 


y*\\ 


•fwgreens  of  the  deep  Md  shady  Bwamps 
o«D  DO  longer  conceal  or  retain  the  lin- 
gering ice.  Thousands  and  tens  of 
thousands  of  nightingales  (for  so  the 
rara  elamUan$  of  this  country  is  humor- 
ously designated),  simultaneously  send 
forth  their  nocturnal  serenades,  and 
celebrate  the  victory  that  has  released 
thera  from  prison.  The  incessant  and 
uproarious  delight  of  these  liberated 
captives  must  be  heard  to  be  fully  com- 
prehended, and  the  ear  accustomed  to 
its  music  before  it  can  confer  the  pleas- 
ure that  it  neyer  fails  to  impart  to  the 
natives. 

"Spring  has  now  so  fkr  advanced, 
that  we  can  hardly  believe  that  Illinoo 
is  the  same  plaoe  we  beheld  a  few  weeks 
ago.  The  windows  and  doors  of  the 
houses  are  all  open— every  thing  and 
every  body  seems  to  be  in  a  universal 
state  of  transition.  The  first  of  May 
gives  new  lodgers  to  new  houses,  and  a 
simultaneous  exchange  of  tenants  takes 
f  laoe,  while  those  who  do  not  remove 
out  of  their  tenements  appear  to  abdi- 
cate nearly  every  room  in  them ;  for 
what  is  called  the  general  '  house- 
cleaning  '  has  commenced.  Paint  and 
whitewash  brushes  are  busy  "everv 
where ;  floors,  ceilings,  walls,  and  furni- 
ture, defiled  by  the  smoke  of  a  long 
winter,  undergo  a  general  purification, 
to  the  infinite  fatigue  of  servants,  and 
the  unspeakable  annoyance  of  the  male 
part  of  the  household,  who  are  expelled 
by  mops,  brooms,  and  scrubbing-brushes 
from  their  homes.  Even  the  streets 
scarcely  afford  a  safe  retreat  from  the 
showers  of  water  thrown  upon  or  from 
windows,  subjecting  the  unwary  stran- 
ger to  the  danger  of  sudden  immersion ; 
nor  does  such  a  time  of  disorder  and  fa- 
tigue shelter  the  operators  from  the  ef- 
fects of  practical  jokes,  or  screen  the 
offenders  from  immediate  punishment. 
A  load  laugh,  succeeded  by  a  sCream, 
attests  some  prank,  while  the  sudden 
irruption  of  a  footman  from  the  hall- 
door,  followed  by  the  irritated  house- 
maid, mop  in  hand,  exhibits  the  incon- 
venience of  having  sport  converted  into 
earnest.  While  the  bouses  are  thus 
metaiuorphosed  within,  the  streets  pre- 


sent an  equal  ehange  without.  Oratea 
deal  cases,  barrels  and  boxes,  publish 
the  arrivals  of  English  sprine  goods, 
and  the  millinery  and  fknoy  Mops  are 
crowded  by  ladies,  who,  having  laid 
aside  their  tippets,  muffs,  furs,  and  warm 
cloaks,  look  like  beings  of  a  different 
climate  and  another  country. 

"Spring,  having  now  clothed  the 
fields  with  verdure,  unfolded  the  bud, 
expanded  the  blossom,  and  filled  the  air 
with  fragrance,  and  the  music  of  birds, 
departs  as  suddenly  as  it  arrived,  and 
leaves  the  seed  to  be  ripened  and  the 
fruit  matured  by  the  sucoeedine  season. 
A  deep  blue  sky,  a  bright  and  orilliant 
sun,  a  breathing  of  the  west  wind,  so 
soft  and  gentle  as  scarcely  to  awt^en 
the  restless  aspen,  a  tropical  day,  pre- 
ceded by  a  gray  mist  in  the  morning, 
that  sradually  discloses  to  view  the 
rich,  luxuriant,  and  mellow  landscape, 
and  sheds  a  golden  lustre  over  the  wav- 
ing meadows,  and,  above  all,  the  solitary 
locust,  Uiat  seeks  the  loftiest  branch  of 
the  elm  on  the  lawn,  and  sings  his 
monotonous  song,  when  the  feathery 
tribe  are  seeking  the  cool  retreats  of  the 
thickets,  usher  in  the  summer.  The 
sun  has  scarcely  set'  behind  the  dark, 
wavy  outline  of  the  western  hills,  ere 
the  Aurora  Borealis  mimics  its  setting 
beams,  and  revels  with  wild  delight  in 
the  heavens,  which  it  claims  as  its  own, 
now  ascending  with  meteor  speed  to  the 
xenith,  then  dissolving  into  a  thousand 
rays  of  variegated  light,  that  vie  with 
each  other  which  shall  first  reach  the 
horizon ;  now  flashing  bright,  brilliant, 
and  glowing,  as  emanations  of  the  sun, 
then  slowly  retreating  from  view,  palo 
and  silvery  white,  like  wandering  moon- 
beams.* ,-.t:r,.„    -■,T....    ■     r  -^  A. 


*  The  first  appearance  of  the  Aurora  Borealii 
was  very  astonishing  to  our  ancestors,  both  in 
Europe  and  America.  It  was  first  seen  in  Eng- 
land in  1716,  and  in  British  North  Aineii(!a  in 
1719.  A  very  interesting  account  of  the  former 
was  written  by  the  Rev.  Thonias  Punce,  who 
was  then  in  Europe.  A  minute  description  of 
the  latter  was  published  at  Boston  by  an  anonv- 
mous  author ;  both  of  which  papers  are  to  M 
found  in  the  second  volume  of  the  Collections  of 
the  Historical  Society  of  Massachusetts,  h  wai 
first  noticed  at  Boston  at  eight  o'clock  in  tht 
evening  of  the  11th  of  December,  1719.    Thii 


lout.  OntM 
toxei,  pvbUsh 
sprinff  goodi. 
D07  Mopi  ar« 
haTinff   laid 


ars,  and  warm 
of  a  different 
ry 

clothed    the 
Ided  the  bud, 
d  filled  the  tit 
iQsio  of  birds, 
'.  arrived,  and 
)eDed  and  the 
leeding  season, 
t  and  brilliant 
west  wind,  so 
sely  to  awaken 
ipical  day,  pre- 
I  the  morning, 
I    to  view  the 
How  landscape, 
e  over  the  wav- 
all,  the  solitary 
tiest  branch  of 
and  sings  his 
1  the  feathery 
1  retreats  of  the 
summer.      The 

lind  the  dark, 
item  hills,  ere 
mios  its  setting 
irild  delight  in 
urns  as  its  own, 
!or  speed  to  the 
nto  a  thousand 
t,  that  vie  with 
first  reach  the 
)right,  brilliant, 
ions  of  the  sun, 

from  view,  palo 
andering  mpon- 


he  Aurora  Borealii 

ancestors,  both  in 

first  BC«n  in  Eng- 

North  Amenda  in 

:ount  of  the  formet 

homos  Punce,  who 

lUte  description  of 

oston  by  an  anonv^ 

h  papers  are  to  D« 

f  the  Collections  of 

isachusetts.    It  was 

ight  o'clock  in  ths 

ember,  1719.    Thli 


THE  SEASONS. 


»ii 


"  Its  sportifo  rein  is  soon  orer,  and, 
while  you  watoh  for  its  re-app«aranoe, 
bandreds  of  small  volcanoes  burst  forth, 
from  the  depths  of  the  forest,  in  all  di 
reccions,  sending  up  long,  black  dense 
masses  of  smoke,  that  are  suspouu,  1]  in 
the  sky,  and  then  illuminated  by  the 
columns  of  flame  beneath,  like  sheets  of 
burnished  gold.  The  woods  seem  as  if 
they  were  In  a  blase  every  where,  and 
irould  soon  be  wrapt  in  one  general  con- 
flagration. How  bright  and  beautiful  is 
this  nocturnal  fire  I  now  rising  with 
impetuous  rage  above  the  tallest  trees, 
then  subsiding  into  a  smouldering  heap, 
and  again  encircling,  like  a  wreath  of 
light,  some  tall  pine,  and  waving  from 
its  top  its  banner  of  flame,  in  token  of 
viotorjT.  The  giant  tree,  unable  to.  re- 
sist the  devouring  element,  falls  heavily 
under  its  foe  with  a  crash  that  shakes 
the  very  hills,  and  sends  up  sparkling 
showers  of  fire  far  away  into  the  heavens. 
The  foresters  have  invoked  the  aid  of 
this  dreadful  element  to  disencumber 
the  eround  of  its  timber,  and  thereby 
enable  them  to  bring  their  land  into 
cultivation.  Alas  I  they  sometimes  fall 
victims  themselves  to  their  dangerous 
and  rapacious  ally.  The  summer  is  a 
period  of  comparative  repose,  and  the 
assises  are  held,  and  the  judges  and 
lawyers  '  come  and  go,'  and  the  races 
are  opened,  and  followed  by  balls  and 
regattas. 

"But  what  is  this  procession,  and 
whence  all  this  music?  A  remarkably 
light,  open,  but  capacious  carriage,  the 
most  beautiful  thing  of  the  kind  ever 
seen,  as  the  handbills  say,  drawn  by 
eight  white  horses,  which  are  managed 
with  greater  apparent  ease  and  security, 
withotft  the  aid  of  postillions,  and  di- 
rected rather  by  certain  cabalistic  Yan- 
kee words,  perfectly  unintelligible  to  all 

person  who  describes  it  concludes  his  quaint  ac- 
count as  follows :— "The  dreadfulness  as  well  as 
iiraneeneM  of  this  meteor  made  me  think  of  Mr. 
Wattes  description  of  the  Day  of  Judgment  in 
English  Sapphick,  and  of  these  lines  in  Flat- 
nan  >— 

'  When  firom  the  dungeon  of  the  grave 
The  niaasre  throng  themselves  shall  heave, 
Shake  off  their  linen  chains  and  gaze 
With  wonder  when  the  world  shai]  blase.' " 


but  the  prancing  steeds,  than  by  whip 
or  reins,  conveys  the  celebrated  brMS 
band  of  New  England,  *  the  most  dis- 
tinguished in  the  whole  world.*  Imme- 
dial''Iy  behind  this  wonderful  e<}uipag« 
are  socue  ten  or  twelve  horses,  gaudily 
(richlpr  is  a  wore  appropriate  term) 
caparisoned.  These  '  real  Arabians,' 
foals  of  the  sun,  are  remarkable  for  their 
fire  and  docility,  their  delicacy  of  limb, 
and  great  endurance.  Next  come 
oreamrcolored  ones  of  the  same  royal 
stock  as  those  in  the  stables  of  tba 
Queen  of  England,  with  magnificent 
side-saddles  and  housings,  covered  with 
golden  stars,  and  decorated  with  deep 
fringe  of  the  same  valuable  material, 
and  then  jet  black  ponies,  with  long 
tails  and  fiowing  manes,  so  wild  and  in- 
tractable that  nobody  but  SeTIor  Oaldero, 
'  Felix  Bibb,'  the  great  South  American 
horse-tamer,  can  manage,  and  in  his 
hands  they  are  as  gentle  as  lambs. 

"  A  long  train  of  carriages  bring  up 
the  rear,  the  last  of  which,  drawn  by 
six  Pensylvanian  heavy  dray-horses,  is 
most  conspicuous.  Whatever  it  con- 
tains is  carefully  concealed  from  view 
by  enormous  folds  of  snow-white  can- 
vass, and  is  doubtless  very  heavy,  as  it 
requires  a  team  of  such  uncommon 
strength  to  transpose  it.  From  the 
centre  of  this  mass  of  canvass  rises  a 
staff  which  supports  the  British  flag,  a 
delicate  compliment  to  the  sensitively 
loyal  nerves  of  colonists,  who  are  always 
thrown  into  epileptic  and  sometimes  in- 
to convulsion  fits  at  the  very  sight  of 
the  rebel  and  Republican  flag  of  stars 
and  stripes.  It  is  the  great  American 
Mammoth  Circus,  which  means,  of 
course,  in  common  parlance,  exactly  the 
reverse— namely,  tnat  the  company 
which  usually  exhibits  during  the  win- 
ter at  Boston  or  New  York  separates 
in  the  summer ;  the  better  portion  of 
the  performers  and  most  valuable  horses 
being  reservjd  for  a  Iioloa  tour,  and  the 
most  inferior  c*  least  expensive  part 
sent  into  the  colonics.  The  handbills 
of  the  united  company  answer  just  as 
well  for  the  detachment,  for  the  fame  of 
the  corps  is  common  property,  and  ac- 
companies each  division  wherever  it  goeft' 


t* 


4j"l 


«l 


•  I 


•■I. 


•  i 


S12 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;    OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


4jl 


"  Thia  splendid  pageant  perambulates 
eyerv  street  of  the  town,  amazing  all  the 
ohildren,  amosing  all  the  idlers,  and  de- 
lighting all  nuTtiery-maids  and  their 
lovers  at  the  prospect  of  an  evening's 
entertainment,  where  they  can  see  and 
be  seen,  and  of  a  walk  afterwards,  in 
which  they  can  neither  be  heard  nor 
seen.  If  the  exterior  of  this  exhibition 
be  so  attractive,  wluit  must  the  perform- 
ance of  such  wonderful  horses  and  cele- 
brated men  be  ?  In  a  few  minutes  the 
whole  country  is  informed,  both  by  ru- 
mor and,  what  is  still  more  to  be  de- 
pended on,  printed  notices,  containing 
full-length  portraits  of  horses  and  riders, 
that  the  opportunity  which  may  never 
again  occur  will  be  lost  to-morrow  if  not 
seized  upon  at  once.     As  soon  as  this 

Gratuitous  show  (and  it  is  very  kind  to 
isclose  so  much  for  nothing)  is  over, 
the  procession  halts  in  a  field  previously 
selected.  The  carriages  take  their  ap- 
pointed places,  and,  in  an  indescribably 
short  space  of  time,  an  enormous  tent  is 
erected  capable  of  accommodating  two 
thousand  people,' and  also  a  subsidiary 
one  for  the  performers  and  ring  horses. 
The  British  flag  is  again  displayed  (for 
nothing  American  is  heard  but  the  ac- 
cent and  nasal  twang) ;  the  music,  God 
save  the  Queen!  which  is  very  polite 
and  considerate,  strikes  up,  and  in  two 
hours  from  their  first  appearance  in  the 
town,  they  are  prepared  to  astonish  and 
delight  their  good  friends  of  Ulinoo. 

"  Almost  every  body  has  seen  the 
Circus,  for  this  company  visits  us  annu- 
ally, but  every  year  it  has  some  attrac- 
tion with  all  the  other  part  of  the  enter- 
tainment. This  season,  it  is  an  India- 
rubber  man,  who  puts  his  legs  over  his 
neck,  and  appears  to  be  without  joints, 
or,  if  he  has  any,  to  enjoy  some  of  a 
•peculiar  construction.  Last  year,  a 
man  defied  the  efforts  of  four  horses  to 
draw  him  from  his  position  on  a  wooden 
frame,  and  played  with  iron  shots  of 
thirty  pounds  weight  with  as  much  case 
as  common  balls.  Therefore,  all  must 
go  and  all  must  see — ^grumblers  there 
always  will  be ;  what  community  was 
ever  united  1  Some  people  are  deter- 
mined not  to  be  pleased,  perversely  say- 


ing that  it  conduces  to  idleness,  it» 
tendency  is  immoral,  and  it  withdraws 
large  sums  from  the  country,  which  it 
can  ill  afford,  and  falls  especially  heavy 
on  the  poor  and  the  improvident.  But 
servants  will  be  indulged,  and  children 
mast  be  amused,  and  mammas  and  mis- 
tresses are  kind  intercessors ;  and  what 
do  they  care  if  the  horses  are  foundered, 
spavined,  or  painted,  or  the  actors  de- 
praved ?  it  is  worth  seeing,  and  must  be 
seen,  and  there  is  an  end  of  the  mat- 
ter. 

"  Is  it  an  apparition,  or  a  dream  ?  it 
is  passed  and  gone,  and  nothing  is  left 
to  remind  us  that  it  has  been  here,  but 
the  chorus  of  a  negro  song  caught  up 
by  the  boys  in  the  street,  and  shouted 
forth  at  every  corner  at  night ;  or,  a 
runior  that  a  child  has  broken  his  leg, 
or  injured  his  spine  in  attempting  sum- 
mersets, after  the  manner  of  little  mas- 
ter Young,  the  great  Phenomenon. 
Scarcely  has  the  last  cheer  of  applause 
rewarded  the  last  rehearsal  of  the  last 
joke  of  the  clown,  ere  the  pegs  are 
drawn,  the  cords  loosened,  and  the  tents 
struck,  packed  and  reloaded  ;  the  hand- 
some men,  in  yellow  tights  with  scarfs 
'  and  gold-lace  jackets,  are  converted  in- 
to teamsters,  grooms,  or  musicians,  in 
rusty  black  clothes,  and  the  procession 
is  again  in  motion  to  the  next  village. 
It  is  a  tale  that  is  told — they  are  ror- 
gotten  among  the  '  comers  and  goers.' 

"  But,  if  this  is  one  of  the  lights  of 
life  to  the  juvenile  part  of  the  commu- 
nity, here  is  a  melancholy  shade — a 
general  gloom  succeeds — reflection  will 
come.  The  crops  are  bad,  the  potatoes 
have  failed,  the  weevil  has  destroyed  the 
wheat,  and  long  and  continued  rains 
have  damaged  the  hay  crop.  Fires  at 
Quebec  and  Newfoundland,  the  famine 
in  Great  Britain  and  want  and  poverty 
at  home,  have  dried  up  the  sources  of 
charity  : — when,  io  I  the  highways  are 
thronged  with  groups  of  strange-looking, 
emaciated,  squalid  human  beings,  such 
as,  thank  God !  this  Lappy,  thrifty,  in- 
dustrious ouuntry  nevor  produced,  and, 
if  we  are  left  to  ouiselves,  never  will 
and  never  can  exhi'uit.  A  strong,  stout 
man,  dressed  in  u  olue  coat  and  browc 


^^    • 


^'I. 


0  idleness,  lU 
d  it  withdraws 
antry,  which  it 
ispeoially  heavy 
rovident.  But 
1,  and  children 
tmmas  and  mis- 
isors ;  and  what 
3  are  foundered, 

the  actors  de- 
ng,  and  must  be 
ind  of  the  mat- 

,  or  a  dream  ?  it 

1  nothing  is  left 
I  been  here,  but 
3ong  caught  up 
iet,  and  shouted 
at  night ;   or,  a 
1  broken  his  leg, 
attempting  sum- 
ler  of  little  maa- 
,t    Phenomenon, 
beer  of  applause 
;arsal  of  the  last 
re  the  pegs  are 
ted,  and  the  tentj) 
Uded ;  the  hand- 
lights  with  scarfs 
are  converted  in- 
or  musicians,  in 
id  the  procession 

the  next  villaj[e. 
)ld — they  are  tor- 
ners  and  goers.' 
B  of  the  lights  of 
•t  01  the  commu- 
ncholy   shade — a 
s — reflection  will 
bad,  the  potatoes 
has  destroyed  the 
continued  rains 
ly  crop.     Fires  at 
aland,  the  famine 
want  and  poverty 
p  the  sources  of 
,he  big ti  ways  ara 
)f  strange-looking, 
man  beings,  such 
happy,  thrifty,  in- 
or  produced,  and, 
iselves,  never  will 
A  strong,  stout 
xe  coat  and  browc 


THE  SEASONS. 


211 


breeches,  with  a  pipe  in  his  mouth,  his 
shoes  in  one  hand,  and  a  short  stick  in 
the  other,  is  followed  by  a  woman  walk- 
ing barefooted,  and  bending  forward 
under  the  weight  of  a  child  seated  on 
the  top  of  a  dirty  buudle  of  infectious 
clothing,  which  is  fastened  on  her  shoul- 
ders— two  small,  pale,  shoeless  girls, 
with  unequal  pace,  travel  by  her  side  ; 
and  the  rest  of  these  paupers,  of  various 
gczes,  bring  up  the  rear  of  this  sad, 
silent,  and  sorrowing  party  of  emi- 
grants. 

"  The  door  of  the  settler,  which  was 
never  before  closed,  is  now  guarded  or 
bolted,  and  relief  is  timidly  adminis- 
tered through  some  aperture.  Idleness, 
insubordination,  and  disloyalty,  have 
induced  poverty — poverty  has  induced 
want — want  emigration — and  emigra- 
tion, amid  foul  air  and  bad  food,  has 
engendered  disease ;  and  these  wretched 
exiles  have  carried  it  through  the  coun- 
try, and  shook  it  out  on  the  wings  of  the 
wind,  to  be  dispersed  every  where. 

"We  are  poor  ourselves — not  from 
idleness,  though  we  might  be  more  labo- 
rious ;  nor  from  wilful  inactivity,  in 
order  to  force  others  to  feed  and  sup- 
port us,  for  we  are  too  proud  and  too 
right-minded  to  do  so ;  nor  from  oppres- 
sion, for  we  know  it  not ;  nor  from  the 
sterility  of  the  soil,  for  this  country 
eould  feed  millions ;  but  we  are  poor, 
because  it  has  pleased  God  to  withhold 
I  from  the  earth  its  wonted  increase. 
How,  then,  shall  we  maintain  these  un- 
fortunate creatures  ? — and  why  are  they 
thrown  upon  our  shores  ?  are  they  sei\t 
I  here  to  starve,  or  to  consume  us  also  ? 
I  The  Lazaretto  is  full,  though  death 
decimates  it  daily  ;  for  fresh  victims  are 
continually  arriving  to  supply  their 
places.  Thousands  have  landed  but  to 
die,  and  thousands  have  embarked,  who 
were  soon  consigned  to  the  bosom  of  the 
great  deep. 

"  Amid  all  the  bad  passions  and  bad 
I  feelings  which  unprincipled  and  sedi- 
tious agitators  have  called  up  in  the 
I  breast  of  these  peasants,  urging  them  on 
I  to  resistance  and  crime,  how  many  good, 
Itffectionate,  and  devoted  hearts  are  still 
lio  be  found  among  them !     Who  is  that 


woman,  and  what  is  her  history,  who 
sits  apart  from  the  rest,  who  are  making 
their  mid-day  meal  by  the  roadside  of 
viands  prepared  in  yon  house  for  its 
own  inmates  ?  Her  head  is  resting  on 
her  hand,  and  her  countenance  sad  and 
distracted,  while  her  mind  is  evidently 
far,  far  away — perhaps  among  the  green 
hills  of  her  own  native  land.  The  ship 
in  which  she  embarked  soon  became  a 
hospital,  and  day  by  day  death  seized 
upon  some  one  of  her  family,  until  all 
were  gone  but  her  baby.  She  was  alone 
in  the  world  save  with  this  little  one — 
she  had  seen  them  sink  one  after  anoth- 
er, and  all  her  care  and  all  her  affections 
centred  on  this  helpless  innocent.  She 
watched  it.  by  day  and  guarded  it  by 
night,  and  mingled  her  tears  with  her 
prayers  for  its  safety.  But,  alas  !  death 
is  inexorable,  and  strikes  the  afflicted 
as  relentlessly  as  those  who  know  no 
It  died,  like  the  rest,  and  she 
left  a  childless,  widow.     But  she 


sorrow. 


was 


was  not  thus  to  be  separated  from  the 
object  of  her  affections  :  she  concealed 
its  death,  dried  up  her  tears,  carried  its 
little  corpse  in  her  arms,  carefully  cov- 
ered it  from  the  rude  winds,  caressed  it, 
sung  to  it,  and  pressed  it  to  her  heart. 
At  last  her  secret  was  discovered  ;  but 
she  clung  to  the  lifeless  body  with  fran- 
tic energy,  and  begged  so  earnestly  to 
have  it  reserved  for  a  grave,  that  the 
captain  kindly  yielded  to  her  entreaties. 
A  little  coffin  was  made  for  it,  and  it 
was  deposited  in  the  boat  that  hung 
over  the  stern,  with  a  humane  promise 
that  it  should  be  preserved  as  long  as 
possible,  and,  if  practicable,  buried  on 
shore.  Day  and  night  she  remained  on 
deck,  and  kept  her  eyes  on  that  she 
could  QO^  enfold  to  her  heart,  and,  even 
when  darkness  overspread  the  heavens, 
sustained  herself  with  the  melancholy 
consolation  of  dimly  discerning  it  at 
rest.  At  last  they  descried  the  eastern 
shore  of  the  province  ;  and  in  the  .rave- 
ning the  boat  was  lowered,  a  grave  was 
dug,  and  the  body  interred.  The  cap- 
tain inscribed  the  name  of  the  harbor 
on  a  card,  with  ^he  bearings  of  the  spot, 
and  gave  it  to  the  agonized  mother. 
She  received  it  listlessly,  observing,  *  I 


I  l.)t 

if 

'1. 


'^. 


i  ■ 


i" 


414 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  (  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


^.l' 


1^ 


cannot  forget  it — it  is  engrayed  on  my 
heart  for  ever.' 

"  But,  hero  is  an  Italian  boy,  with  hte 
monkey  and  hurdigurdy.  He  is  willing 
to  do  something  for  his  own  support, 
and,  although  he  is  an  idler,  he  is  a 
merry  one,  and  prefers  a  cheerful  song 
to  a  begging  petition.  That  little  fellow 
lives  on  a  portion  of  the  bread  and  meat 
bestowed  upon  his  monkey  in  recom- 
pense for  his  performances,  lays  up  all 
his  money,  and  has  visions  of  returning, 
buying  out  his  father's  landlord,  and 
setting  up  for  a  Venetian  gentleman. 
He  has  already,  in  his  dreams,  made  a 
great  sensation  in  the  gay  circles  of  his 
native  place,  and  has  enjoyed  the  humil- 
iation which  his  triumph  will  awaken  to 
all  rivals.  Nor  does  he  forget  that, 
besides  amassing  wealth,  he  has  acquired 
information,  by  perambulating  this  con- 
tinent, and  become  master  of  the  Eng- 
lish and  French  languages.  A  traveller, 
a  linguist,  and  a  man  of  fortune,  happy 
dog  I  here  is  half-a-crown  for  you.  Go 
on,  dream,  and  prosper ! 

"  But  here  is  something  of  importance 
— a  great  reform  meeting  is  to  be  held, 
at  which  the  grievances  of  the  country 
are  to  be  manfully  declared,  and  suita- 
ble remedies  proposed.  There  is  dome- 
thing  touching  in  the  wrongs  of  a  whole 
people,  and  any  one  with  a  spark  of 
generous  patriotism  in  his  heart  must 
sympathize  with  the  sufferings  and  pri- 
vations of  the  oppressed.  Perhaps,  tuey 
are  over  taxed  and  borne  down  with  the 
weight  of  exactions.  Not  at  all :  there 
are  no  taxes,  and,  what  is  better,  they 
are  exempt  from  any  portion  of  British 
burdens.  Perhaps,  their  little  fund 
raised  by  import  duties  is  either  ex- 
pended without  their  consent,  or  misap- 
plied. By  no  means  :  they  impose  these 
charges  themselves,  vote  away  funds, 
and  audit  the  accounts.  As  this  pauper 
emigration  is  a  just  subject  oi  com- 
plaint, perhaps  they  intend,  and  very 
properly,  too,  to  remonstrate  against  it 
to  the  (Colonial  office  as  a  serious  griev- 
ance. No ;  that  is  dangerous  ground ; 
it  might  awaken  a  national  feeling  at 
the  next  election.  It  is  not  to  be 
thought  of     Then  it  is  no  tragedy  at 


last  ?  Certainly  not ;  it  is  a  farce,  and 
nothing  more.  The  Governor,  in  the 
exercise  of  bis  prerogative,  has  ap- 
pointed the  Honorable  Enoch  £elg 
instead  of  Squire  Solomon  Sharp,  to  be 
his  secretary,  and  Mr.  Thompson  in- 
stead of  Mr.  Jackson,  to  be  auditor  of 
road  accounts.  It  is  observed,  too,  by 
applying  a  jaundiced  eye  to  a  micro- 
scope, that  an  Act  passed  last  year  for 
dividing  parishes,  has  something  vei-y 
like  No.  1  faintly  inscribed  on  it,  from 
which  it  is  fair  to  infer  that  there  ia  a 
No.  2  in  reserve  for  the  introduction  of 
tithes :  a  resolution  therefore  condem- 
natory of  such  men  and  measures  is 
unanimously  carried  amid  great  accla- 
mation and  ardent  protestations  of  their 
determination  to  lay  down  their  lives 
when  needed,  and  their  fortunes  when 
acquired,  for  the  honor  of  the  Queen, 
and  the  benefit  of  the  province. 

"  A  counter  Conservative  meeting  is 
now  convened,  at  which  the  persons 
present,  like  those  at  the  former  assem- 
bly, are  reported  in  the  papers  at  only 
twice  their  real  number — a  remarkable 
instance  of  political  veracity  and  integ- 
rity. The  speakers  on  this  occasion 
deprecate  any  interference  with  the 
prerogative,  and  maintain  that  the  Gov- 
ernor has  undoubted  right  to  select  Lis 
officers  from  whatever  party  he  pleases, 
provided  he  acts  constitutionally,  by 
choosing  them  from  their  side,  and  that 
it  matters  very  little  to  the  country 
whether  Eels  or  Sharp,  Thompson  or 
Jackson,  is  appointed,  as  nobody  feels 
particularly  interested  in  either  of  them. 
As  for  the  imposition  of  tithes,  they 
assert  that  nothing  can  show  the  folly 
of  such  a  supposition  more  plainly  than 
the  fact  that  few  people  in  this  poor 
country  have  ten  calves,  ten  pigs,  ten 
haystacks,  or  ten  sheep :  children  beitii; 
the  only  productions  that  ever  reach 
that  ominous  and  taxable  number.-  They 
very  logically  conclude,  therefore,  that 
where  there  is  no  tenth,  there  can  be  nc 
tithe.  A  vote  of  confidence  in  the  pres- 
ent ministry  is  carried,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  lum.  con.,  with  three  cheers  for 
the  Queen,  three  for  the  Province,  and 
three  for  Conservatives.    Happy  coud 


I     - 


it  is  a  farce,  and 
Qovernor,  in  the 
ogative,  has   ap- 
ble  Epoch    Eels 
mon  Sharp,  to  be 
[r.  Thompson  in- 
,  to  be  auditor  of 
observed,  too,  by 
eye  to  a  micro- 
ssed  last  year  for 
3  something  vei-y 
joribed  on  it,  from 
fer  that  there  is  a 
he  introduction  of 
therefore  condem- 
and  measures  is 
amid  great  accla- 
otestations  of  their 
r  down  their  lives 
leir  fortunes  when 
nor  of  the  Queen, 
e  province, 
ervative  meeting  is 
which  the  persons 
t  the  former  assem- 
the  papers  at  only 
iber — a  remarkable 
veracity  and  integ- 
■s  on  this  occasion  I 
'erenoe    with    the  I 
ntain  that  the  Gov- 
right  to  select  Lis  I 
er  party  he  pleases, 
lonstitutionally,  by! 
their  side,  and  that 
tie  to   the  country! 
larp,  Thompson  or 
,ed,  as  nobody  feels  | 
ed  in  either  of  them. 
ion  of  tithes,  they  I 
can  show  the  folly 
n  more  plainly  than 
people  in  this  poor 
lalves,  ten  pigs,  ten 
leep:  children  beiiid 
that  ever  reaca 
lable  number.-  They  I 
ude,  therefore,  that! 
nth,  there  can  bene 
fidence  in  the  pres 
•ied,  as  a  matter  of 
th  three  cheers  foi 
r  the  Province,  ana] 
iives.    Happy  coud 


ois 


THE  SEASONS. 


215 


try,  where  you  cannot  find  a  grievance  ! 
and  happy  people,  where  your  contest 
IS  for  men,  and  not  for  measures — for 
places,  and  not  for  theories  of  govern- 
ment I 

"  But  there  is  something  to  be  seen 
this  evening  infinitely  more  amusing 
than  political  jugglery,  in  which  all  sides 
can  join  good-humoredly  in  approving ; 
for,  held  is  practical  jugglery,  and  Sig- 
nor  Blitz  will  take  less  money  out  of 
your  pocket,  and  give  you  more  satisfac- 
tion in  return.  He  again  is  followed  by 
a  troop  of  rope-dancers,  ventriloquists, 
German  and  Swiss  ballad-singers,  giants, 
dwarfs,  and  precocious  children,  all  of 
whom  say  they  have  exhibited  or  per- 
formed before  the  Queen  of  England, 
the  King  of  France,  and  the  Emperor 
•f  Russia.  Daguerreotype  men  succeed, 
who  take  youug  ladies'  likenesses ;  for- 
tune-tellers, who  provide  them  husbands 
for  sixpence ;  travelling  jewellers,  to 
furnish  the  wedding-ring ;  tin-reflector 
men,  to  bake  the  cake  ;  strolling  preach- 
ers to  marry  them ;  and  bell-ringers, 
ready  to  perform  at  the  ceremony; 
while  picture  venders  succeed,  to  amuse, 
and  singing  and  dancing-masters  to 
teach  the  children.  These  fellows  seem 
to  have  an  intuitive  knowledge  of  the 
wants  of  a  new  country,  %nd  to  under- 
stand the  rapid  growth  of  its  popula- 
tion, and  therefore  very  wisely  provide 
themselves  with  a  stock  of  what  may  be 
denominated  the  common  necessaries  of 
life.  But,  in  addition  to  those  who  pur- 
vey for  the  wants  of  others,  there  are 
many  who  require  you  to  provide  for 
their  own.  There  are  rebel  Poles,  who, 
when  abroad,  complain  of  tyranny  at 
home ;  Italians,  ruined  by  avalanches, 
who  never  saw  the  Alps  ;  shipwrecked 
mariners  who  have  only  been  half  seas 
over ;  women,  going  to  the  States  to  join 
husbands  they  have  never  yet  found  ; 

Eeople  burnt  out,  who  never  owned  a 
ouse  ;  and  miser  emigrants,  with  more 
gold  concealed  in  their  rags  than  would 
purchase  the  farm  of  the  poor  settler 
whose  charity  they  receive  and  deride. 

"  It  is  refreshing  to  turn  from  these  va- 
grants to  what  reminds  us  of  dear  old 
England.     I  love  every  thing  that  be- 


'The  th, 

said  to  myself; 


longs  to  it,  from  the  Queen  on  her  throne, 
and  the  standard  that  floats  on  the 
breeze  at  the  Castle,  to  the  brave  de- 
fenders of  both — the  soldiers.  Here  is 
a  detachment  en  route  from  St.  John 
(New  Brunswick)  to  Halifax  :  they,  too, 
like  all  others  here,  are  '  comers  and  go- 
ers.' I  was  forcibly  struck,  some  years 
ago  (for,  at  this  distance  of  time,  it 
would  seem  a  matter  of  course  now), 
with  the  great  change  that  takes  place 
even  among  themselves,  by  casually 
meeting  a  company  at  this  very  place. 
'  What  regiment  do  you  belong  to  V  I 
said,  addressing  myself  to  a  Serjeant. 

"     sir.'    'The  th!'  I 

*  dear  me  !  how  many 
recollections  tbat  corps  recalls!  How 
well  I  knew  them !  How  often  I  have 
dined  at  their  mess,  rode,  drove,  hunt- 
ed, fished,  or  sailed  with  the  officers,  in 
days  bygone !  They  were  here  in  1808, 
and  left  the  country  with  Sir  George 
Prevost,  to  undertake  the  reduction  of 
Martinique.  Are  there  any  of  them 
here  now  who  were  in  the  province 
then  ?  '  No,  sir  ;  I  am  the  only  man  left 
that  was  in  the  corps  at  tbat  period.  I 
was  stationed  at  this  place  and  worked 
two  summers  in  your  Honor's  garden. 
I  am  Tom  Hodges.'  '  Ah,  Hodges,  is 
that  you,  my  good  fellow  'i  I  am  glad 
to  see  you.  Alas  t  I  alone  am  left  also 
of  all  those  that  started  in  life  with  me, 
and,  in  the  course  of  things,  must  soon 
follow  them,  for  I  am  much  older  than 
you  are.'  '  I  shall  leave  the  service  too, 
sir,  immediately  :  I  am  to  have  my  dis- 
charge next  week.'  '  Then  return  to 
me,  and  I  will  provide  you  with  a  home 
and  employment  while  I  live.'  »The  old 
gardener  who  stands  erect  when  he  ad- 
dresses you,  and  gives  you  a  military  sa- 
lute, is  poor  Tom  Hodges,  the  sole  sur- 
vivor of  the  dear  old th  Regiment. 

" '  But  who  is  that  man  in  irons, 
Hodges,  sitting  at  a  table  in  the  court- 
yard, eating  the  poor  and  scanty  fare  of 
a  prisoner  ?  His  hair  is  so  long  and 
shaggy,  and  his  clothing  and  general  ap- 
pearance so  unsoldier-like,  I  cannot  un- 
derstand what  you  can  have  to  do  with 
him  V  '  He  does  not  bei<«ng  to  us,  sir  ; 
be  deserted  from  the  -  •    -th  Regim^fut 


216 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


'■'i  S 


"   t 


•bout  eigbt  years  ago,  settled  near  the 
American  line,  married,  and  has  a  family 
there.  A  friend  to  whom  he  entrusted 
his  secret,  having  quarrelled  with  him, 
lodged  an  information  against  him.  He 
was  accordingly  apprehended,  tried,  and 
convicted,  and  is  now  on  his  way  to  a 
penal  colony.  It  was  a  heartrending 
thing,  sir,  to  see  the  poor  fellow  torn 
away  from  his  wife  and  children.'  '  Yes, 
yes,  Hodges,  the  way  of  the  transgressor 
18  hard.  Here  is  a  trifle  for  him  ;  miti- 
gate his  Bufiferings  as  far  as  is  compatible 
with  discipline  and  duty.' 

"  Autumn  has  now  commenced  :  the 
days  are  very  perceptibly  shorter,  and 
the  evenings  are  beginning  to  grow  too 
cool  to  sit  out  late  in  the  open  air. 
There  is  more  of  a  breeze  from  the 
westward  within  the  last  fortnight,  and 
it  is  more  bracing  and  invigorating  than 
when  heated  by  the  summer's  sun. 
The  harvest  is  gathered,  and  a  few  days 
are  devoted  in  the  country  to  Temper- 
ance meetings,  at  which  the  virtues  of 
pure  cold  water  are  extolled,  and  aptly 
illustrated  by  copious  libations  of  strong 
decoctions  of  hot  tea  and  coffee.  Pic- 
nics follow,  where  the  comparative  val- 
ue of  generous  liquors  is  tested,  and  at 
which  the  fair  sex,  who  provide  and  pre- 
pare the  viands,  are  kindly  permitted  to 
attend,  and  listen  to  luminous  speeches 
on  modern  philosophy,  which  teaches  us 
to  abandon  the  past,  and  despise  the 
present,  in  the  sure  and  certain  hope 
that  free  trade  and  new  and  untried 
theories  of  government  will  make  us  all 
'  healthy,  wealthy,  and  wise.'  *  But, 
though  the  principles  and  politics  of  our 
forefathtrs  are  condemned  without 
'  benefit  of  clergy,'  some  of  their  prac- 
tices are  still  retained.  Men  must  as- 
semble— when  they  assemble,  they  must 
talk — when  they  talk,  they  must  drink 
(quietly,  though,  which  means  privately, 
in  unlicensed  house*,  for  there  are  many 
things  that  may  be  done  in  secret,  that 
are  not  expedient  or  proper  to  bo  done 
in  public,  in  which  decent  catalogue 
drinking  is  now  included) — and  when 
men  drink,  they  will  run  horses,  and 
when  they  run  horses,  they  will  bet. 
Reforms  are  only  applicable  to  public 


officers,  but  not  to  reformers,  for  thos« 
who  liberate  others  must  themselves  be 
free.  Scrub  races,  then  (as  country 
races  of  untrained  or  broken  down,  and 
not  broken  in,  horses  are  called),  must 
still  be  retained,  it  seems.  That  noisy 
and  inebriated  crowd  that  occupies  the 
space  where  those  two  highways  meet, 
and  covers  the  fences  and  throngs  the 
doorway  of  that  decent-looking  temper- 
ance inn,  to  the  well-feigned  annoyance 
of  its  inmates  and  the  horror  of  all  true 
friends  of  sobriety,  is  employed  in  ar- 
ranging the  details  and  betting  on  the 
result  of  a  race  between  two  farm  horses. 
When  that  is  ended,  it  will  be  followed 
by  others  equally  interesting.  In  a  little 
back  room  of  that  temperance  inn,  the 
winnings  are  spent  in  the  purchase  of 
numerous  '  yards  of  stone  wall' — a  name 
for  brandy,  omitted  in  the  License  Law, 
which  is  thus  evaded  or  defied. 

"  Turning  in  disgust  from  men  who 
while  clamoring  for  political,  neglect  the 
more  needful  and  valuable  social  re- 
forms, we  observe  that  there  has  been  a 
slight  frost  near  the  brook  tbi^t  brawls 
down  the  mountain  side,  for  there  is  a 
variegated,  waving,  scarf-like  strip  of 
foliage  extending  each  side  of  it,  and 
marking  all  i^  devious  courses  with  its 
bright  colors  of  a  thousand  tints,  while 
the  leaves  of  the  trees  on  the  dry  land 
have  escaped  this  first  stage  of  decay. 
In  a  few  aays,  the  whole  scene  becomes 
changed,  and  all  is  enveloped  in  a  blaze 
of  beauty.  The  larch  rises  like  a  cone 
of  gold ;  the  maple  is  clothed  with  a 
crimson  robe,  fading  in  the  distance  into 
changeable  shades  of  brown  ;  the  beech 
presents  its  bright  yellow  leaves,  grad- 
ually yielding  to  a  strong  green  near 
the  trunk,  where  the  frost  has  not  yet 
penetrated  ;  and  the  birch,  with  its  white 
stem  and  gaudy  coloring,  is  relieved  by 
a  pale  gray  tint,  produced  by  the  nu- 
merous branches  of  trees  that  have  al- 
ready shed  their  leaves,  and  by  the  rich 
glowing  clusters  of  the  fruit  of  the  ash ; 
while  the  tremulous  aspen  grieves  in 
alarm  at  the  universal  change  around  it, 
and  timidly  exposes  its  reversed  leaf  to 
the  sun,  in  the  vain  hope  of  protecting 
it  from  its  baleful  influence.     The  dark 


peal 


pied 


hi 


THE  SEASONS. 


2ir 


<i- 


rs,  for  tho8« 
hemselvea  be 

(as  country 
m  down,  and 
called),  must 

That  noisy 

occupies  the 

f'  hways  meet, 
throngs  the 
)king  temper- 
led  annoyance 
ror  of  all  true 
iployed  in  ar- 
betting  on  the 
f 0  farm  horses. 
rill  be  followed 
ling.  In  a  little 
}rance  inn,  the 
e  purchase  of 
ewall' — a  name 
le  License  Law, 
defied. 

:rom  men  who 
ical,  neglect  the 
liable  social  re- 
)here  has  been  a 
ok  that  brawls 
,  for  there  is  a 
rf-like  strip  of 
side  of  it,  and 
jourses  with  its 
md  tints,  while 
in  the  dry  land 
stage  of  decay. 
3  scene  becomes 
iloped  in  a  blaze 
ises  like  a  cone 
clothed  with  a 
ihe  distance  into 
)wn ;  the  beech 
iw  leaves,  grad- 
)ng  green  near 
ist  has  not  yet 
ih,  with  its  white 
;,  is  relieved  by 
iced  by  the  nu* 
is  that  have  a'l- 
and  by  the  rich 
'ruit  of  the  a»h ; 
ipen  grieves  in 
iiange  around  it, 
reversed  leaf  to 
,e  of  protecting 
inoe.     The  dark 


y^i  melancholy-looking  pines  and  firs 
defy  the  effects  of  alternate  heat  and 
cold,  and,  as  they  tower  above  the  work 
of  destruction,  break  with  their  pointed 
topd  the  smooth,  uniform,  round  out- 
linuu  of  the  hard  wood  trees.  It  is  a 
rich  and  gaudy  but  transitory  scene,  for 
the  rude  southern  blasts  will  soon  tear 
the  fluttering  leaves  from  their  stems, 
tnd  the  forest  will  again  exhibit  the 
same  cold,  cheerless,  naked  aspect,  as 
when  lately  breathed  upon  by  the  first 
genial  air  of  spring. 

"  Simultaneou.s  with  the  fall  of  the 
leaf,  is  the  departure  of  the  Admiral 
and  the  squadron  from  Halifax  for  Ber- 
muda. He  has  been  here  for  three 
summers  only,  and  he  now  departs  to 
return  no  more.  These  cards  for  a  ball 
on  board  of  the  Centurion  are  designed 
to  conceal,  under  festivity,  the  pain  of 
separation  from  friends  who  are  doomed 
to  part  for  ever — friends  found  too  late, 
or  lost  too  soon,  known  just  long  enough 
to  be  loved  and  lamented,  and  severed 
as  soon  as  acquaintance  had  ripened 
into  affection.  The  thunder  of  artillery 
from  the  citadel,  and  the  responsive 
peal  from  the  '  flag  ship,'  like  the  fu- 
neral honors  over  the  dead,  close  the 
scene  between  the  departed  and  their 
sorrowing  friends.  Hia  brief  sojourn 
is  ended — his  place  will  soon  be  occu- 
pied by,  another,  to  rule,  resign,  and 
pass  away  like  his  predecessor.  It  is 
life's  shortest  span.  It  is  also  the  sea- 
son for  relieving  regiments.  The  offi- 
cers, from  being  constantly  on  shore, 
have  more  opportunities  for  mingling 
intimately  with  the  inhabitants,  and, 
consequently,  weave  stronger  ties  of 
affection,  the  sudden  disruption  of  which 
is  attended  with  more  pain,  because 
more  hurtful,  to  the  feelings.  The 
Governor's  term  of  five  years  has  also 
expired,  and  all  his  civil,  military,  and 
personal  relations  in  the  place  are  ab- 
1  ruptlylterminated,  his  staff  dissolved, 
is  family  removed,  and  the  palace  do- 
lierted  and  gloomy.  It  is  really  a  coun- 
|try  of  'comers  and  goers.' 

"  I  shall  leave  the  text  to  moralists 
lind  preachers.  Custom  has  sanctioned 
Ithe  presentation  of  addresses  on  such 


occasions,  to  express  and  record  tht 
respect  and  sorrow  of  the  community, 
and  experience  has  shown  that  the  prac- 
tice is  a  wise,  grateful,  and  salutary  one. 
It  is  a  pity,  however,  that  proper  bounds 
and  limits  have  not  been  assigned  to  a 
custom  which  is  now  fast  degenerating, 
not  merely  into  an  idle  ceremony,  but 
into  a  ridiculous  exhibition  of  folly. 
To-day  a  commander  of  a  steamer,  who 
mistook  Newfoundland  for  a  fog-bank, 
and  thereby  endangered  the  lives  of  his 
passengers  and  crew,  nearly  destroying 
the  valuable  vessel,  is  entertained  at  a 
public  dinner,  and  presented  with  a 
piece  of  plate,  and  a  flattering  address, 
in  which,  omitting  all  mention  of  his 
egregious  carelessness  or  ignorance,  his 
coolness  in  peril,  and  his  fertility  in  ex- 
pedients, are  highly  extolled,  in  terms 
equally  honorable  to  the  understanding 
and  good  taste  of  the  subscribers,  and 
to  the  modesty  of  him  who  could  hear  it 
without  blushing,  and  receive  it  without 
mortification. 

"  If  the  spring  is  short  in  this  coun- 
try. Nature  has  compensated  us  for  the 
deficiency,  by  giving  us  a  seo>)nd  edition 
of  it  at  this  season,  called  the  '  Indian 
summer.'  The  last  fortnight  is  restored 
with  sunny  skies,  bland  south-west 
winds,  and  delicious  weather,  which  has 
the  warmth  of  spring  without  its  show- 
ers, the  summer  sky  without  its  heat, 
and  autumn  nights  without  their  frost. 
It  is  Nature's  holiday — the  repose  of 
the  seasons,  the  lingering  beauty  of  ma- 
turity, ere  the  snows  of  age  efface  it  for 
ever.  The  savages  seek  their  winter 
quarters,  by  ascending  the  lakes,  and 
rivers  to  the  hunting  ground ;  the  sports- 
men are  in  the  fields  or  the  woods,  the 
farmer  is  busy  with  his  plough,  and  the 
mariner  hastens  homeward  to  dismantle 
his  vessel,  and  moor  her  securely  before 
the  approach  of  snow-storms.  The  mi- 
gratory birds,  too,  avail  themselves  of 
this  lull  of  the  winds,  and  proceed  on 
their  southern  journey,  to  avoid  the 
wintry  blasts,  while  every  animal  of  the 
forest  selects  his  cavern,  or  his  den, 
and  makes  all  those  preparations  that 
unerring  instinct  suggests  for  his  safety 
or  support. 


'i. 


\^ 


''ii 


I: 


I*jjr  -I  J 


''T'tlfli 


%\9 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  i  OR,  LIPE  IN  A  COLONY. 


"  A  lieavy  storm  of  rain,  succeeded  by 
•  sudden  shift  of  wind  to  the  north-west, 


brings  winter  upon  us  in  an  instant 
the  lakes  arc  covered  with  ice,  the 
swamps  congealed  into  a  solid  mass,  and 
the  ground  frozen  as  hard  as  adamant. 
When  the  wind  relaxes,  snow  succeeds, 
until  the  whole  earth  is  covered  with  it 
tp  a  great  depth.  Every  body  is  abroad, 
and  in  motion ;  the  means  of  transport, 
which  were  suddenly  suspended  by  the 
frost,  are  now  furnished  by  the  snow. 
The  '  New  Comers '  are  delighted  with 
the  QOTeltjr,  and  anxiously  exchange 


wheels  for  runners,  and  leather  for  fhrs^ 
to  essay  an  upset  (by  no  means  a  diffi 
cult  feat),  and  to  try  the  speed  of  horsca 
that  have  lost  their  activity  with  their 
youth,  and  who  have  already  trained 
several  generations  of  'New  Comers' 
before  them.  The  roads  are  now  cov- 
ered with  sleds,  the  streets  with  sleighs 
and  merry  voices  and  merry  bells  pro- 
claim that  the  season  has  arrived  wnen 
nearly  all  the  ports  are  closed  until 
spring,  and  there  can  no  longer  be  ar- 
rivals or  departures — Comers  or  Qoers." 


m 

Hi- 


Bather  for  furs, 
means  a  diffi 
speed  of  horsca 
vity  with  their 
ilready  trained 
'New  Comers' 
8  are  now  cov- 
ets with  sleighs, 
merry  hells  pro- 
iis  arrived  when 
Eire  closed  until 
0  longer  he  ar- 
lomers  or  Goere." 


THE  WITCH  OF  INKY  DELL. 


Among  the  various  classes  of  comers 
and  goers  that  have  at  different  times 
^ited  this  country  (continued  the 
Judge),  witches  and  apparitions  have 
now  nearly  ceased  to  honor  or  alarm  us 
with  their  company.  Forty  years  ago 
they  were  very  numerous,  and  every 
village  and  settlement  had  its  ghost  or 
its  sorceress.  Many  well-authenticated 
tales  are  told  of  their  sayings  and  doings, 
and  of  their  marvellous  power ;  for  when 
was  a  story  deficient  of  proof,  where 
people  are  crafty  or  credulous  ?  As  a 
sample,  I  will  tell  you  one  that  was  re- 
lated to  me  by  a  person  who  bad  been 
for  some  time  suffering  under  the  ma- 
lignant inJSuence  of  the  Witch  of  Inky 
Dell,  in  Cumberland,  Nova  Scotia. 

Shortly  after  the  termination  of  the 
American  Rebellion,  a  number  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  old  colonies  emigrated 
to  this  province,  the  majority  of  whom 
were  Loyalists,  who,  relinquishing  their 
homes  and  possessions,  followed  the  flag 
of  their  king  into  this  cold  and  inhos- 
pitable country,  while  not  a  few  belong- 
ed to  the  opposite  side,  which  they  had 
either  disgraced  or  deserted.  Every 
county  of  Nova  Scotia  received  great 
numbers  of  these  "  refugees,"  as  they  were 
called,  and,  among  others,  Cumberland 
had  a  large  proportion.  Driven  from 
their  homes  and  their  ordinary  ocoupa- 
tioDs,  it  was  a  long  time  before  they  set- 
tled themselves  in  the  country  of  their 
adoption,  and  many  preserved,  during 
the  remainder  of  their  lives,  the  habits 
of  idleness  engendered  by  war  and  exile. 
Taverns  were  then  places  of  much 
greater  resort  than  at  the  present  day, 
when  they  are  almost  exclusively  given 


up  to  travellers,  and  the  voice  of  con- 
tention or  merriment  scarcely  ever  ceased 
within  them,  either  by  day  or  night. 

The  battles  of  the  recent  war  were 
fought  over  again  with  renewed  zeal, 
and  it  must  be  admitted  that  these  Loy- 
alists were  a  most  distinguished  body  of 
men,  inasmuch  as  it  appeared  that  every 
individual  was  confident  that  the  result 
of  the  contest  would  have  been  far  dif- 
ferent if  the  British  Government  had 
followed  his  advice.  These  faithful  and 
wise  councillors  daily  met,  deliberated, 
and  decided  upon  the  fate  of  the  nation, 
but,  alas !  they  had  no  means  to  execute 
their  designs,  and  the  world  unfortu 
nately  went  on  as  usual  without  them. 

Among  this  little  loyal  band  was  one 
Walter  Tygart,  or  Watt  the  Tiger,  as  he 
was  more  generally  called  from  the  feroci- 
ty of  his  temper.  He  had  held  a  commis- 
sion in  the  celebrated  corps  of  cavalry 
known  as  Tarlton's  Legion,  and  was  a 
strong,  well-made,  active,  daring  man  ; 
he  bad  distinguished  himself  during  the 
war  as  well  by  his  valor  as  his  cruelty, 
for  it  was  a  favorite  maxim  of  his  that 
"  the  Devil  was  the  first  rebel,"  and  that 
therefore  to  spare  a  traitor  was  a  devil- 
ish and  not  a  Christian  act,  and  was  ac- 
cordingly noted  for  never  having  taken 
a  prisoner,  or  given  quarter  to  a  foe. 
He  was  a  noisy,  roUocking,  dissipated 
fellow,  full  of  anecdote,  with  some  humor, 
and  a  strong  but  dangerous  propensity 
to  practical  joking.  My  first  recollec- 
tions of  Cumberland  are  connected  with 
the  «  Loyalist  Club"  and  Watt  the  Ti- 
ger, the  revolutionary  anecdotes  they 
severally  related,  or,  as  the  evening  ad- 
vanced, all  told  together,  myself  being 


tl, 


If:' 


220 


THE  OLD  JUDGE:  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


W'  ♦•^i''> 


the  only  listener  amid  the  clamorous 
party. 

I  remember  an  absurd  anecdote  he 
told  of  one  of  their  brother  members, 
xrho  was  absent  that  evening.  It  is 
impossible  to  give  you  an  idea  of  his 
manner,  though  his  language  may  serve 
to  show  you  the  style  of  man  he  was. 
The  story  referred  to  a  Captain  Lybolt, 
a  retired  officer  of  German  extraction, 
who  had  recently  been  appointed  a  ma- 
gistrate. He  was  a  vain,  pompous,  and 
ignorant  man,  not  very  scrupulous  in 
his  conduct,  and  resolved  to  make  his 
new  office  as  lucrative  as  possible  by 
means  of  fines,  of  which,  at  that  time,  no 
account  was  ever  exacted  or  rendered. 

"  I  say,  boys,  old  stick-in-the-mud  is 
made  a  magistrate ;  he  is,  upon  my  soul ! 
fact,  I  assure  you,  boys.  The  crittur 
has  begun  to  fine  already,  and  where 
the  fine  goes  the  king's  fingers  will 
never  follow,  even  if  they  were  as  long 
as  a  commissary's.  It  would  have  made 
you  die  a-laughing  if  you  had  seen  his 
first  trial  to-day,  as  I  did ;  it  would,  upon 
my  soul,  boys !  fact,  I  assure  you — I 
hope  I  may  die  if  it  wouldn't !  A  chap 
crossing  his  orchard  yesterday  picked 
a  few  of  his  apples,  and  ate  them,  which, 
in  all  Christian  countries,  is  only  a  socia- 
ble, neighborly  act ;  but  old  cat-anine- 
tails,  dod  drot  him  I  called  it  foraging 
on  the  enemy,  marauding,  plundering, 
and  what  not,  and  issued  a  warrant 
against  him  for  stealing.  '  What  is  the 
use  of  being  a  justish,'  he  said, '  if  you 
can't  do  juetish  to  yourself!'  He  did, 
upon  my  soul !  fact,  I  assure  you !  true 
as  thunder,  boys ! 

"  To  make  the  court  look  respectable, 
and  scare  the  poor  devil,  with  his  law 
and  learning,  out  of  his  money,  he  piled 
up  great  heaps  of  books  on  his  table, 
business' and  earnest-like,  took  his  seat 
on  one  side  of  it,  and  made  Corporal 
Cotton,  his  orderly,  sit  down  on  the 
other,  and  act  as  clerk,  and  then  ordered 
the  constable  to  bring  in  the  prisoner. 
'  Got  for  damme,  what  do  you  mean, 
sir?'  said  he,  a-bristling  up  and  a-bri- 
dling  like  a  whiskered  Lucifer,  'what 
do  you  mean  by  stealing  my  apples  V — 
» Who !  me  ?'    '  Yes,  you.'—'  Stealing  !' 


'  Yes,  stealing,  sir  I' — '  Do  you  call  that 
stealing  V  '  Stealing  I  to  be  sure  it  is ' 
" '  Cotton,'  said  Lybolt,  a-whispering 
to  his  orderly,  '  bring  in  more  book : 
he  don't  respect  the  law,  nor  the  king's 
appointment,  nor  the  justish.  Mora 
book,  sir  ;'  and  Cotton  brought  in  sev- 
eral arms  full  of '  more  book,'  and  piled 
them  up  on  the  table.  '  Now,'  said  the 
Captain,  swelling  out  like  a  tarnation 
big  bull-frog  chock  full  of  wind, '  what 
do  you  say  for  yourself?'  'I  didn't 
think  it  any  great  matter,'  replied  poor 
pumpkin-headed  red  nose,  '  to  eat  a  few 
apples — what  a  touss  you  make  about 
nothing  I' — '  Put  that  down,  Cotton,' 
said  the  captain ;  '  he  confesses  he  stole 
them,  and  calls  thieving  a  touss  guten 
himmel.  I  shall  teach  him  better  for 
all  time  that  shall  be  passed,  that  shall 
be  present,  or  shall  come ;'  and  he 
snorted  like  as  if  he  seed  an  indgin,  he 
did,  upon  my  soul,  boys  ! — fact,  I  assure 
you,  fellows !  dod  drot  me  if  he  didn't ! 
'  Constable,  remove  the  prisoner  till  the 
court  deliberates  on  the  punishment. 
Serious  offence,  this.  Captain  Tygart,' 
he  said  to  me,  winking  and  blinking 
like  an  owl  in  the  sun,  '  a  very  serious 
offence,  pillaging  when  on  march  through 
the  territory  of  a  friendly  power.  It  is 
death  by  martial-law  ;'  and  he  ordered 
in  the  prisoner  :  '  I  pronounce  you 
guilty, sir,'  said  he,  'and  now  I  sentence 
ou — you  shall  be  hanged — you  shall 
e  whipped — or  you  shall  pay  five 
pounds,  and  you  shall  have  your  choice 
which.'  The  poor  crittur,  who  hud  no 
pluck  in  him,  or  he  would  have  capsized 
him  and  his  clerk,  and  buried  both  of 
them  under  their  books,  ;iaid  the  five 
pounds,  showed  a  leg,  and  made  himself 
scarce.  '  Fary  good  offish.  Captain  Ty- 
gart,' he  said,  with  a  knowing  wink,  as 
he  pocketed  the  fine — '  fary  good  offish  I 
fines  are  more  better  nor  apples — as 
apples  are  more  better  nor  nothing.  It 
shall  be  worth  more  nor  two  hundreds 
in  one  year' — true  as  rates,  he  did,  upon 
my  soul,  fellows  !  I  hope  I  may  die  if 
he  didn't !  fact,  I  assure  you,  boys  I" 

Soon  after  that,  I  missed  Watt  the 
Tiger  from  his  "accustomed  haunts,' 
and  understood  ho  was   partially  de< 


I 


pensi 

Cross 

jewe 

tuone 

Bpent 

the 

pirat( 

<addl( 

•ondu 

*ompi 

ctte  hi 


THE  WITCH  OP  INKY  DELL. 


2S1 


a  call  tbat 
sure  it  is ' 
whispering 
nore  book: 
r  the  king's 
sh.      More 
light  in  8CV- 
:,'  and  piled 
,w,'  said  the 
a  tarnation 
■wind, '  what 
'1  didn't 
replied  poor 
'  to  eat  a  few 
make  about 
)wn,  Cotton,' 
esses  be  stole 
atouss  gttten 
im  better  for 
sed,  that  shall 
me;'   and  be 
an  indgin,  he 
-fact,  1  assure 
e  if  he  didn't! 
risoner  till  the 
e   punishment, 
iptain  Tygart,' 
and  blinking 
'  a  very  serious 
march  through 
ly  power.     It  18 
[nd  he  ordered 
pronounce  you 
now  I  sentence 
red— you  shall 
Jhall    pay    five 
[ave  your  choice 
iur,  who  hud  no 
d  have  capsized 
buried  both  of 
IS,    laid  the  five 
d  made  himself 
.sh,  Captain  Ty 
lowing  wink,  as 
fary  good  of&sh  I 
nor  apples— as 
tor  nothing.     It 
ir  two  hundreds 
tes,  he  did,  upon 
>pe  I  may  die  if 
■e  you,  boys !" 
fissed  Watt  the 
(tomed  haunts, 
IS   partially  do* 


ranged.  His  conduct  became  suddenly 
so  strange,  and  be  persisted  so  obsti- 
nately in  refusing  to  give  any  reason  for 
his  behavior,  that  somebody  attributed 
his  melancholy  to  a  disturbed  conscience, 
and  remorse  for  past  misdeeds,  while 
not  a  few  believed  that  he  had  been 
visited  or  claimed  by  the  Devil.  It 
appeared  that  one  night,  when  returning 
from  the  club,  his  horse  arrived  at  his 
house  before  him,  greatly  terrified,  fol- 
lowed some  time  afterwards  by  his 
master,  whose  clothes  were  torn  and 
soiled,  and  his  countenance  and  manner 
much  disturbed.  Soon  after,  the  same 
thing  occurred  again,  and  he  was  heard 
to  mutter  that  he  had  been  ridden  hard ; 
that  the  bit  had  hurt  his  mouth,  and 
that  his  tongue  was  frost-bitten  from 
exposure  to  the  weather.  On  another 
occasion,  he  complained  of  having  no 
oats,  of  being  shut  in  a  stable  without 
a  haltdr,  and  kicked  on  the  leg  by  a 
black  mare.  But,  on  his  last  nocturnal 
excursion,  something  still  more  extra- 
ordinary happened,  for  he  came  home 
dreadfully  fatigued  and  exhausted, 
it>arefooted  and  bareheaded,  having  ex- 
changed his  own  clothes  for  a  red  flan- 
oel  petticoat,  that  scarcely  reached  to 
bis  knees,  »n<l  a  woman's  short  dimity 
bedeowD. 

From  that  iime,  he  ne^er  ventured 
out  at  night,  and  by  day  always  carried 
a  small  bible  in  one  pocket,  and  the 
prayer-book  in  the  other,  though  he  was 
never  known  to  look  into  either  of  them. 
He    became     reserved,    solitary,    and 
moody,  and  was  often  found  talking  or 
muttering  to  himself  about  leaving  the 
country,  taking  his  treasures  with  him 
(though,  poor  fellow !  his  only  posses- 
sions were  bis  farm,  his  cattle,  and  a 
pension  of  fifty  pounds  a  year),  and 
crossing  over  the  seas,  and  placing  his 
jewels,   bars   of   gold,  and  chests  of 
money,  in  the  Bank  of  England,  and 
spending  the  remaicdsr  of  his  days  in 
the  sporting  world,  far  away  from  all 
pirates,  devils,  witches,  bridles,   side- 
laddles,  and  black  mares.     In  fact,  his 
■onduct  and   conversation  were  so  in- 
'omprehensible,  that  he  was  left  to  pur- 
ktte  bis  own  meditations  unmolested  and 


unquestioned.  As  soon  a^  j  ceased  to 
be  a  wonder,  he  ceased  to  be  talked  of, 
and,  though  not  forgotten,  his  name  was 
seldom  mentioned;  when,  all  at  once, 
he  awakened,  as  it  were,  from  this 
dream  of  existence,  and  reappeared 
among  his  friends  of  "  the  Loyalist 
Club  "  at  the  Cornwallis  Arms,  with  all 
his  former  uproarious  mirth  and  bois- 
terous behavior. 

It  was  in  the  early  part  of  June, 
1790,  that  he  rejoined  his  companions. 
The  day  was  rendered  memorable  by 
one  of  the  most  terrific  thunder-storms 
ever  known  in  this  country.  For  sev- 
eral hours,  the  roar  of  thunder  and  in- 
cessant flashes  of  lightning  nearly  de- 
prived us  of  the  power  of  vision  or 
hearing,  when  the  whole  forest  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Inky  Dell,  which  lav 
to  the  eastward  of  the  village,  was  sud- 
denly wrapt  in  flames,  that  illuminated 
the  heavens  with  their  strong,  lurid 
light.  It  was  a  fearful  spectacle,  and 
great  apprehensions  were  entertained 
for  the  safety  of  the  straggling  and 
detached  settlements  in  that  vicinity, 
the  inhabitants  of  which  appeared  thus 
suddenly  to  be  deprived  both  of  succor 
and  escape.  That  portion  of  the  wil- 
derness seemed  peculiarly  calculated  to 
extend  the  conflagration,  for  it  consisted 
chiefly  of  "  soft  wood,"  as  the  resinous 
evergreens  of  America  are  usually  de- 
nominated. 

The  valley  was  a  deep  and  gloomy 
hollow,  between  two  high  hills,  and  was 
clothed  with  a  growth  of  exceedingly 
tall,  thin,  spiral  fir-trees,  known  among 
lumberers  as  scantling  or  ranging  tim- 
ber, which  grew  so  close  together  as  to 
admit  of  no  underwood  or  shrubs.  It 
was  a  forest  of  spars.  For  thirty  feet, 
at  least,  from  the  ground,  they  exhib- 
ited no  limbs,  after  which  a  few  thin 
branches  protruded,  loaded  with  long, 
pendent  streamers  of  gray  moss,  re- 
sembling straggling  locks  of  hoary  hair, 
while  their  tops  were  lost  in  a  thick, 
umbrageous  covering,  that  was  imper 
vious  to  the  rays  of  the  sun.  It  was, 
consequently,  a  dark  and  gloomy  wood. 
The  very  birds  seemed  to  avoid  it,  and 
the  hardy  little  squirrel  disdained  to 


'% 


i\: 


'1  "fjZ  ii 


222 


TIIF,   OLD  JUDGE;   OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONV. 


i^^ 


feed  upon  the  cones  that  grew  in  its 
dank  and  stagnant  atmosphere.  The 
bat  and  the  owl  alone  resorted  to  it, 
and  startled  the  traveller  by  their  num- 
bers and  nocturnal  vigilance.  Through 
the  centre  of  it  flowed  a  thick,  turbid, 
and  lacy  stream,  which,  from  having 
beds  of  coal,  beoanra  perfectly  black,  and 
thus  imparted  to  the  valley  the  name  of 
"  Inky  Dell."  The  water,  besides  being 
discolored,  was  as  strong  as  brine,  from 
the  numerous  salt-springs  that  flowed 
into  it.  The  margin  of  the  brook  was 
covered,  for  some  distance,  with  dead 
trees  and  sickly  and  consumptive  dwarf 
hemlocks,  that  had  perished  or  lan- 
guished in  the  unwholesome  moisture 
with  which  the  sub-soil  was  saturated. 
Tall,  coarse,  slimy,  aquatic  grass,  par- 
taking of  the  color  of  the  floods,  af- 
forded a  shelter  for  toads,  and  reptiles, 
that  lay  concealed  in  its  tangled  roots, 
as  if  ashamed  of  their  domicile. 

The  dell  was  intersected  by  a  gorge, 
which,  though  not  descending  as  low  as 
the  level  of  the  water,  furnished  a  con- 
venient opening  for  a  road,  which  crossed 
it  at  this  place.  On  the  western  side 
of  the  valley  and  brook  stood  a  small 
log-house,  in  a  field  containing  about  an 
acre  of  land,  immediately  behind  which 
rose  a  conical  hill,  whose  base  was  cov- 
ered with  such  timber  as  I  have  de- 
scribed. Beyond  that  was  a  growth  of 
stunted  birches ;  and  at  its  top,  which 
was  uncovered,  was  a  fountain  of  pure 
water.  It  was,  probably,  the  value  of 
this  spring  that  led  to  th«  selection  of 
the  site  for  the  house.  Below  the  road, 
the  receding  hills  afforded  a  small  strip 
of  interval,  which  bad  once  been  cleared 
and  sown  down  with  grass  seeds,  and, 
though  much  overgrown,  admitted  a 
little  light  into  the  landscape.  On  one 
side  of  the  house  was  the  prostrate  cov- 
ering of  a  building,* which  had  evidently 
been  a  cow  or  horse-shed,  but  which, 
gradually  decaying  where  it  touched  the 
damp  earth,  had  sunk  by  degrees,  until 
the  roof  lay  by  itself,  without  support, 
on  the  ground. 

This  wretched  and  lonely  place  was 
\he  abode  of  a  poor  woman,  one  Nelly 
Edwards.     At  the  period  I  have  before 


alluded  to,  of  the  emigration  from  the 
old  colonies,  now  comprising  the  United 
States,  she  arrived  with  her  husband  at 
Cumberland,  and,  shortly  afterwards, 
settled  at  Inky  Dell.  Who  or  what  they 
were,  no  one  ever  knew.  They  held  but 
little  intercourse  with  their  neighbors, 
were  known  to  live  upon  very  bad  terms 
with  each  other,  and  were  supposed  to 
have  belonged  to  the  rebel  party,  from 
whom  they,  no<Houbt,  had  good  reason 
to  escape,  as  soon  as  law  and  order  were 
re-established.  Edwards  had  evidently 
lived  much  in  the  baukwoods  in  the 
early  part  of  his  life,  for  he  was  a  devo- 
ted sportsman  and  hunter.  He  was 
averse  to  industrious  hnbits,  and  sup- 
ported himself  by  trapping  and  fishing 
in  preference  to  tilling  xhe  soil.  They 
were  both  in  bad  rt;pu!e,  and  were 
shunned  and  avoided  by  the  inhabitants 
as  much  as  they  could  have  desired 
themselves. 

After  a  few  years  of  this  solitary 
life,  Edwards  suddenly  disappeared. 
Whether  he  had  perished  in  the  woods 
in  a  conflict  with  some  wild  animal ;  by 
accident  or  by  illness ;  or  had  left  the 
province  and  his  wife  in  disgust,  was 
not  known,  uoi',  indeed,  were  many  in- 
quiries or  conjectures  ever  made.  No 
one  felt  interested  in  his  fate,  and  his 
absence  was  considered  vaihcr  as  a  re- 
lief than  otherwise  by  those  that  trav- 
elled the  road  by  that  lonely  and  ill- 
omened  place. 

Mrs.  Edwards  was  a  short,  erect,  ac- 
tive little  woman,  that  appeared  much 
younger  than  she  really  was.  Her 
breeding  and  extraction,  it  is  said,  were 
lower  than  those  of  her  husband,  who 
was  a  man  of  good  address  and  some  Cvi- 
ucation.  After  his  death,  or  desertion, 
some  advances  were  made  by  the  neigh- 
bors, to  offer  their  sympathies  or  assFst- 
ance,  but  her  temper  was  so  bad,  and 
her  language  so  coarse  and  violent,  that 
people  became  afraid  of  her,  and  as  some 
of  her  imprecations  had  accidentally  come 
to  pass,  she  began  to  acquire  the  not 
very  enviable  or  desirable  appellation 
of  Hag,  or  Witch.'Vrhe  character  of 
the  place  well  accorded  with  such  a  sup- 
position, and  the  moment  it  was  oonoeiv' 


THE  WITCH  OF  INKY  DELL. 


22S 


n  from  tb« 
the  United 
husband  at 
afterwards, 
or  wbat  tbey 
ley  beld  but 
r  ncigbboTS, 
ry  bad  terms 
supposed  to 

1  party,  from 
good  reason 

id  order  were 
lad  evidently 
roods  in  tbe 
e  was  a  devo- 
ur. He  was 
bits,  and  sup* 

2  and  fishing 
.6  soil.  They 
.{e,  and  were 
the  inhabitants 

have  desired 

f  this  solitary 
f    disappeared. 
>d  in  the  woods 
ild  animal ;  by 
or  had  left  the 
n  disgust,  was 
were  many  in- 
yer  made.     No 
lis  fate,  and  his 
vaiber  as  a  re- 
hose  that  trav- 
lonely  and  ill- 
short,  erect,  ac- 
appeared  much 
,lly  was.      Her 
,  it  is  said,  were 
ir  husband,  who 
,es3  and  some  ed- 
th,  or  desertion, 
le  by  the  neigh- 
pathies  or  assfst- 
vas  so  bad,  and 
And  violent,  that 
fher,  and  as  some 
Iccidentallycome 
jacquire  the  not 
lable  appellation 
Ihe  character  of 
"  with  such  a  sup- 
at  it  was  oonwiV' 


ed  and  oiroulatcd,  imagination  sapplied 
many  proofs  and  corroborations  that  had 
previously  escaped  observation.  It  was 
remarked  that  as  soon  as  a  shower  of 
rain  bad  ceased  in  sununer,  and  the  wind 
had  shifted  to  the  west,  the  spring  on  the 
top  of  the  mountain  emitted  for  some  time 
a  tall,  thin  column  of  vapor,  whence  it 
was  called  the  Tv  itch's  Fountain,  a  name 
it  is  ^.cnown  by  to  this  day,  and  probably 
will  always  retain.  It  was  also  noticed 
that  tbe  fowls  about  her  door  were  of  a 
different  breed  from  any  in  the  country, 
being  quite  black,  and  that  her  cat  was 
of  the  same  malignant  color.  Her  know- 
ledge of  herbs  and  simples,  by  which  she 
worked  many  cures  among  her  ignorant 
neighbors,  was  also  turned  against  her, 
ana  unkindly  attributed  not  to  skill  but 
to  sorcery,  and  the  very  natural  infer- 
ence was  drawn,  that  she  who  could  un- 
derstand the  virtues  of  plants  must  also 
know  their  poisons,  and  could  with  equal 
ease  extract  the  one  or  the  other. 

Wearied  and  annoyed  by  these  sur- 
mises and  reproaches,  she  at  last  availed 
herself  of  the  superstition  of  the  people 
to  obtain  a  control  over  them,  and  ren- 
der them  obedient  to  her  wishes.  She, 
therefore,  foretold  fortunes  by  the  assist- 
«nce  of  a  pack  of  cards,  and  the  myste- 
rious fountain,  that  emitted  steam  with- 
out the  aid  of  a  fire,  disclosed  where 
stolen  goods  might  be  found,  by  means 
of  a  skilful  cross-examination  of  the  ap- 
plicant or  the  confession  of  the  thief, 
and  sold  cabalistic  charms  that  had  the 
power  of  warding  off  misfortunes.  The 
numerous  instances  in  which  her  prophe- 
cies either  fulfilled  themselves  or  were 
accidentally  accomplished,  are  really  as- 
tonishing, and  it  is  no  wonder  that  the 
whole  country  was  filled  with  awe  and 
admiration  of  the  power  of  "  the  Witch 
of  Inky  Dell ;"  many  a  fair  one  listened 
in  breathless  expectation  to  the  sen- 
tence that  Nelly  Edwards  was  passing 
on  her  future  life,  and  returned  to  re- 
joice or  murmur  over  tbe  unalterable 
decree. 

There  were  those,  however,  who, 
though  willing  to  believe  in  her  power, 
were  reluctant  to  entrust  her  with  the 
leeret  of  their  hearts,  and,  therefore, 


confined  their  inquiries  to  tbe  singU 
point,  whether  that  which  they  wished, 
or  that  which  thoy  dreaded,  would  come 
to  puss.  As  this  evasion  implied  a 
doubt,  i(  not  of  her  power  at  least  of  her 
secrecy,  she  imposed  severe  terms  on  her 
compliance.  The  applicant  was  desired 
to  come  to  her  by  moonlight,  and  com- 
pelled to  ascend  the  mount  by  its  dark 
and  winding  path,  in  company  with  her 
and  no  other  attendant,  and  then,  filling 
a  cup,  marvellously  and  curiously  carve^ 
with  the  pure  water  from  the  fountain, 
to  turn  quickly  round  three  times,  ter- 
minating the  evolution  with  her  face  to 
the  east,  and  then  to  wish  and  drink. 
At  the  full  of  the  mc  on,  the  wisher  of 
wishes  was  requested  to  repeat  the  same 
ceremony  ;  and  then  the  enchantress, 
after  con  suiting  the  appearance  of  the 
sky  and  the  language  of  the  cards,  en- 
couraged or  extinguished  the  hopes  of 
her  suppliant. 

"All,  however,  were  not  so  credulooa, 
or  so  obedient ;  and,  among  others.  Watt 
the  Tiger,  who  not  only  threatened  her 
with  the  penalties  of  the  law  and  per- 
sonal chastisement,  but  claimed  Inky 
Dell  as  a  part  of  his  property,  to  which 
it  adjoined,  and  in  the  grant  of  which  it 
was  included.  Many  and  furious  were 
the  wordy  contests  between  these  two 
violent  people,who  defied  and  denounced 
each  other ;  and  hag  and  witch,  and  the 
dragon  on  the  one  hand,  and  marauder, 
murderer,  and  villain  on  the  other,  were 
the  mildest  terms  in  their  copious  vo- 
cabulary of  abuse. 

The  locality  of  the  fire  was  easily  dis- 
tinguished from  the  windows  of  the  inn. 
The  day  on  which  it  occurred  was  a 
club  day,  and  several  of  the  members 
had  arrived  previous  to  the  storm,  and 
discussed  the  probable  extent  and  origin 
of  the  conflagration.  Some  attributed 
it  to  the  natural  and  probable  cause— 
the  lightning  ;  others  to  the  Witch,  but 
most  of  them  to  the  Devil,  who  had  no 
doubt  claimed  the  fulfilment  of  the  com- 
pact, into  which  he  had  entered  with  her, 
and  had  come  to  enforce  it,  for  no  doubt 
was  entertained  by  any  one  present  that 
the  sudden,  violent,  and  extensive  fire 
must  have  consumed  the  house  and  all 


894 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  I   OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


.«:     < 


■«    <! 


within  it.  The  lightning  waa  laooeeded 
by  a  tremondous  Hhowur  of  rain,  Buoh  as 
is  seldom  seen  any  where  but  in  tropical 
climates,  which  gradually  yielded  to  a 
sudden  shift  of  the  wind  to  the  west- 
ward, that  cleared  off  the  clobds,  and 
left  every  thing  as  smiling  and  as  tran- 
quil as  ever.  The  rain  had  the  effect 
of  arresting  and  partially  extinguishing 
the  fire,  which  sent  forth  long,  heavy, 
and  black  masses  of  ((mouldering  smoke, 
that  rose  gloomily  into  the  sky,  and 
slowly  passed  away  towards  the  east, 
until  they  were  lost  in  the  distance. 

An  arrival  from  the  scene  of  the  fire 
confirmed  our  apprehensions  :  the  deep 
pine  and  fir  forest  in  Inky  Dell  was  all 
destroyed,  and  Mrs.  Edwards  consumed, 
together  with  her  effects,  in  her  house. 
Various  were  the  remarks  made  on  this 
dreadful  calamity  by  the  company  pres- 
ent. Some  commiserated  the  poor  wo- 
man's misfortunes  and  untimely  end, 
and  felt  as  men  ought  to  do  under  such 
a  dreadful  dispensation  of  Providence. 
Others  thougnt  the  country  was  well 
rid  of  such  a  dangerous  inhabitant,  and 
not  a  few  believed  it  to  be  the  work  of 
her  own  wicked  incantations. 

"  I  never  did  believe  in  witchcraft," 
said  one,  ''  and  if  I  had  been  so  weak, 
this  event  would  have  cured  me.  What's 
the  use  of  it,  if  she  couldn't  foretel  the 
fire  in  time  to  get  out  the  way  of  it  ?" 

"  You  don't  believe  ?"  said  another. 
"  Well,  that's  good,  now  I  didn't  you  go 
to  her,  when  your  horse  was  shot,  for 
advice  ?  and  didn't  she  tell  you  it  was 
Felix  Goon  that  did  it  ?  and  didn't  you 
get  him  convicted  ?" 

"  Well,  I  did ;  but  it  was  only  to 
please  my  wife,  Miss  Lincoln,  for  I  knew 
It  before  I  went.  But  women  have  such 
infernal  curiosity,  they  will  always  ax  a 
question  as  long  as  there  is  any  body 
that  will  answer  it." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know,"  said  a  third ; 
"  she  is  dead  now,  and  it's  easy  to  kick 
a  dead  lion,  any  ass  can  do  that,  but  I 
believe  she  was  a  powerful  woman,  and 
knowed  more  than  a  Christian  ought  to 
know.  She  told  Patience  Fulton,  old 
Caleb's  daughter,  she  was  wrong  named, 
Cor  she  wouldn'*  wait  patiently,  but 


make  a  runaway  match  ;  and,  lorr 
enough,  my  son  Ted  helped  her  oni 
morning  next  week  out  of  her  bed-room 
window  afore  her  father  was  up,  and 
they  were  married  by  Squire  Tommy 
Watson,  afore  breakfast.  Will  any  one 
tell  me,  after  that,  she  warn't  a  gifted 
old  lady  ?  Nobody  ever  prospered  that 
quarrelled  with  her,  There  is  our  old 
mend  Captain  Tygart  now,  he  has  never 
been  no  good  since  she  put  the  curse 
and  the  evil  eye  on  hlin ;  he  ain't  no 
longer  himself,  and  goes  wandering 
about  like  one  possessed.  It's  cheap 
talking  about  not  being  afraid  of  man 
or  devil ;  once,  I  don't  think  the  Cap- 
tain cTer  was ;  but  h&na  me  if  I  like  to 
hear  people  talk  so  rashly.  How  comes 
it  he  carries  the  Bible  in  one  pocket 
and  the  Prayer  Book  in  the  other,  if  he 
ain't  timersome  of  the  old  witch  of  Inky 
Dell?  explain  that  to  ine,  will  you? 
Well,  I  declare,"  he  continued,  slowly 
and  in  an  alarmed  tone,  "  well,  I  declare, 
talk  of  the  Devil,  and  he  is  sure  to  ap< 
pearl  As  I'm  a  living  sinner,  here  is 
Watt  the  Tiger,  a-gulloping  down  the 
road  like  mad,  looking  as  wild  and  as 
wide  awake  as  a  Cherokee  Indgin.  I 
know  him  of  old — he's  not  safe  when 
he's  up  in  the  stirrups  that  way.  He 
is  a  wilful  man  when  his  blood  is  up. 
What's  to  pay  now,  I  wonder?" 

He  had  hardly  uttered  the  words 
when  the  Captain  pulled  up  short  at  the 
door,  dismounted,  threw  the  reins  over 
a  post,  and  burst  into  the  room,  saying, 
"Hullo,  boys  I  are  you  here?  the  old 
devil's  dead ! — clean  gone !  burnt  up  to 
a  cinder !  crisp  as  pie-crust,  and  twice 
as  tough !  she  is,  upon  my  soul!  I  hope 
I  may  die  if  she  ain't — fact,  I  assvre 
you,  fellows  t  not  a  word  of  a  lie  in  it— 
as  true  as  steel.  I  am  a  free  man  now— 
see  if  I  ain't,  boys !"  and  he  took  up  a 
chair,  broke  the  legs  of  it  off  by  a  heavy 
blow  on  the  floor,  and  then,  seizing  one 
of  the  bars,  beat  a  tattoo  violently  against 
the  door  for  the  landlord.  "  How  are 
you,  old  fellow  ?"  he  said,  as  the  door 
opened.  "  Hullo  !  who  the  devil  are 
you?     Where  is  Morgan  ?" 

«  Dead,  sir !" 

"Dead!  the  devil  he  is!  I  didn't 


THE  WITCH  OP  INKY  DELL. 


330 


xjh  ;    and,  sorr 
liolpcd  her  on« 
of  her  bedroom 
or  was  up,  and 
Squire  Tommy 
i.     Will  any  one 
warn't  a  gifted 
ir  prospered  that 
rhere  is  our  old 
now,  he  has  never 
le  put  the  curse 
lim ;  he  ain't  no 
goes    wandering 
;8ed.      It's  cheap 
ug  afraid  of  man 
t  think  the  Cap- 
ng  me  if  I  like  to 
shly.     How  comes 
le  in  one  pocket 
in  the  other,  if  he 
I  old  witch  of  Inky 
to  me,  will  you? 
continued,  slowly 
io,  "  well,  I  declare, 
I  he  is  sure  to  ap- 
ing sinner,  here  is 
tiUoping  down  the 
g  as  wild  and  as 
lurokee  Indgin.    I 
e's  not  safe  when 
ps  that  way.     He 
his  blood  is  up. 
wonder?" 
jttered  the  words 
lUed  up  short  at  the 
[rew  the  reins  over 
,  the  room,  saying, 
rou  here?  the  old 
gone!  burnt  up  to 
lie-crust,  and  twice 
n  my  soul!     I  hope 
n't— fact,  I  asBvre 
ord  of  a  lie  in  it— 
„  a  free  man  now— 
and  he  took  up  a 
of  it  ofif  by  a  heavy 
d  then,  seizing  one 
;oo  violently  against 
idlord.     "How  are 

I  said,  as  the  door 
who  the  devil  m 
»rgan  ?" 

II  he  is!  I  dida'» 


know  that.  Ah,  I  sappose  Ae  rode  him 
to  death,  tool  Bring  me  some  wine, 
some  of  your  boHt,  too.  I  am  going  to 
stand  a  treat  to-night,  and  do  you  mind, 
•ee  that  it  is  good — none  of  your  black 
strap  and  mother  uf  vinegar,  but  the 
best  port  and  i'>adeira.  Come,  right 
about!  quick  march  I  Poor  Morgan! 
•h !  well,  he  was  always  an  everlasting 
coward — died  of  fright,  I  suppose,  at 
seeing  that  old  hag  of  Inky  Dell.  Thank 
fortune,  she  is  gone  now,  quitted  her 
post,  deserted  and  blown  up  the  maga- 
line.  Ah,  here  is  the  wine  I  come,  boys! 
Stop  a  minute,  though'  and  he  rose, 
and,  taking  the  hearthbrusb,  inserted 
the  handle  of  it  in  the  neok  of  one  of 
the  decanters  that  had  no  stopper  in  it ; 
then,  Bummoninff  the  maitre  d' hotel, 
whom  he  called  old  cork-screw,  by  beat- 
ing again  at  the  door  with  a  leg  of  the 
broken  chair,  "  Is  that  a  fit  stopper,  sir, 
for  a  gentleman  ?  Yon  haven't  the 
honor  of  knowing  me,  sir — so  I  will 
take  the  liberty  of  introducing  myself 
I  am  Captain  Tygart,  sir,  at  your  ser- 
vice, late  of  Tarlton's  legion,  a  man 
that  gives  no  quarter  and  takes  no  non- 
sense.  If  you  think  you  won't  know 
me  again,  you  may  stare  a  while  longer ; 
or,  if  you  don't  hear  me,  I'll  open  your 
ears  for  you;"  but  the  terrified  man 
made  good  his  escape. 
"  Well,  boys,"  he  continued,  "  I  am 

Slad  to  find  myself  among  you  again, 
od  drot  me,  if  I  ain't  I  for  it  looks  like 
old  times.  We  must  make  a  night  of 
it ;  so  oome,  fill  your  glasses,  fellows ! 
Here's  to  poor  old  Morgan's  memory — 
he  was  rode  to  death,  I  do  suppose,  poor 
devil !  a  hard  death  that,  too,  particu- 
larly if  he  was  touched  in  the  wind,  as 
I  am.  That  cussed  rebel  bullet  at  the 
Gowpans  that  went  through  my  lungs 
spoiled  my  bellows  for  me,  for  I  have 
the  heaves  now,  if  I  run  hard.  I  should 
have  died,  too,  if  there  had  been  any 
give  in  or  back  out  in  me ;  and,  as  it 
was,  she  nearly  fixed  my  flint  for  me. 
She  is  done  for  herself,  though,  now, 
that's  a  fact,  for  I  have  seen  her  with 
my  own  eves — I  went  to  where  the 
house  stood,  and  felt  for  her  with  a  long 
pfrle  among  the  ashes,  so  as  to  be  certain 
15 


of  it,  and.  while  poking  about,  I  stirred 
up  sometning  that  looked  like  old  Ed- 
wards' powder-horn,  and  off  it  went  like 
thunder,  and  scattered  her  bonea  all 
abroad  like  a  bomb-shell.  It  knocked 
me  ov,er,  too,  it  did  upon  my  soul  I  bat 
I  am  not  easily  soared  by  gunpowder. 
Here  is  a  pleasant  journey  to  her,  and 
a  happy  meeting  with  her  old  ally  and 
master.  General  Scratch,  himself!  Bars 
of  gold,  my  boys,  diamonds  as  big  as 
plums ;  gold  and  silver  saints  as  big  av 
babies,  candlesticks  as  tall  as  corn-stocks, 
and  graven  images  from  the  Spanish 
main — joes,  half-joes,  doubloons,  louis- 
d'ors,  guineas,  and  every  sort  of  coin ! ! 
They  are  all  mine,  fellows  I  she  showed 
me  the  place — I  know  now  the  spot,  the 
vary  spot,  where  the  pirates  buried  them, 
I'll  have  them  up  now,  blamo  my  but- 
tons, if  I  don't  I  Fill  your  glasses,  boys : 
here  is  to  the  memory  of  my  friends  th« 
pirates  I  I  thought  there  was  luok  in 
store  for  me — I  always  had  a  kind  of 
idea  Captain  Tygart's  services  wouldn't 

fo  unrewarded.     Hurra,  boys !  here  is 
etter  luok  still." 

After  the  wine  was  exhausted,  mate 
rials  for  making  punch  were  ordered, 
and  the  Captain  proceeded  to  brew  the 
intoxicating  beverage. 

"  Two  sweet  and  four  sour,  two  weak 
and  four  strong,  boys,"  he  said,  "  with 
a  touch  of  rael  Hyson  to  flavor  it — 
that's  the  liquor  to  warm  the  heart — 
hot  when  you  sleep  under  the  table, 
and  cold  when  you  bivouac  under  a 
bush  in  the  field.  It's  the  soldier's 
friend,  the  ladies' joy,  and  the  world's 
delight.  It's  what  Tarlton  used  to  call 
the  young  man's  best  companion." 

An  enormous  bowl  was  filled  with  it, 
and  placed  at  the  head  of  the  table  with 
a  largo  silver  ladle  in  it,  having  a  golden 
guinea  set  in  its  centre,  and  a  shaft  of 
twisted  whalebone  to  prevent  the  direct 
communication  of  heat  to  the  hand. 
With  this  the  tumblers  were  supplied 
ot  replenished. 

"  Come,  Tygart,"  said  Major  Taylor 
(the  president  of  the  club),  '^  tell  us  the 
story  of  the  witch  and  the  pirate's  trea- 
sure." 

"Well,  boys,"  he  replied,  "I'll  tell 


S26 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


rfkiJM 


'»' 


§oa ;  bat  first  fill  your  glasses.  Gome, 
andford,  if  ever  you  mean  to  be  a 
iadge,  you  must  drink  your  way  to  the 
bench — wine  loosens  the  tongue,  sharp- 
ens the  wit,  steadies  the  nerves,  and 
unlocks  the  imagination.  Here's  your 
health,  youngster,  and  hoping  you  may 
have  a  wig  before  your  head's  bald,  and 
a  silk  gown  before  you  are  an  old 
woman  I  Well,  boys,  it  ain't  a  very 
pleasant  story  to  recollect — dod  drot 
me  if  it  is  !  nor  a  Tery  credible  one  for 
a  man  of  honor  to  tell,  but  it's  true,  for 
all  that — it  is,  upon  my  soul  I  I  hope 
I  may  die  if  it  ain't! — ^faot,  I  assure 
you — not  a  word  of  a  lie  in  it — I'm 
booked  if  it  ain't !  and  as  you  want  to 
hear  it,  I  will  tell  it  to  you* 

"  Well,  you  all  recollect  the  last  night 
but  two  that  I  spent  here.  I  went 
home  early  that  evening,  certainly  not 
later  than  two  o'clock,  sober  as  a  judge, 
(though  they  ain't  always  the  soberest, 
neither)  As  I  neared  Inky  Dell,  who 
should  I  see  but  Nelly  Edwards  astand- 
ing  in  the  middle  of  the  road,  with  her 
arms  akimbo  and  her  chin  cocked  up  in 
the  air,  looking  as  impudent  as  the 
Devil.  '  How  do  you  do,  Oaptain  Ty- 
gart  V  said  she,  a-dropping  a  most  gal- 
lows polite  ourtisey  at  the  same  time. 
'  None  the  bettor  of  seeing  you,'  says  I, 
'  at  this  time  of  ^night.'  '  Thank  you, 
sir,'  said  she ; '  and  as  you  are  in  such 
a  good  humor  to-night,  I  have  a  small 
favor  to  ask  of  you.  Lend  me  your 
horse,  if  you  please  V  '  I'd  see  you 
damned  first,  you  old  hag  t'  said  I,  <  and 
then  I  wouldn't.'  *  Don't  be  rash.  Cap- 
tain,' said  she, '  don't  be  rash.  Let  me 
help  you  off.'    '  Stand  out  of  the  way,' 


•  Stranse  as  this  atory  may  aeem,  it  is  never- 
theleM  Bubstantially  true,  the  names  and  one  or 
two  minor  circumstances  only  being  clunged. 
The  unfortunate  man  who  labored  under  this 
extraordinary  hallucination  (either  from  ddirium 
iT:nutu  acting  on  a  mina  pre-occupied  with 
hatred  or  fear  of  the  Witch  of  Inky  Den,  or  from 
mania  of  some  other  kind)  not  only  fully  believed 
himself  in  the  reality  of  the  transformation  he 
described,  but  was  so  anxious  to  impress  others 
with  a  due  sense  of  his  veracity,  that  he  reduced 
the  narrative  to  writing,  in  the  form  of  an  affida- 
vit, and  attested  it  Mfore  a  magistrate.  It  is 
well  known  in  Cumberland,  where  the  scene  is 
laid. 


said  I,  <or  I'll  ride  over  you  I'  and  i 

Slanged  both  spurs  into  the  horse,  and 
did  try  to  knock  her  down,  that's  a 
fact,  but  old  Tarlton  reared  straight  up 
an  eend,  and  snorted  and  leaped  for* 
ward  so  short  and  sudden,  I  fell  on  the 
broad  of  my  back  in  the  middle  of  the 
road,  and  o£f  he  went,  as  hard  as  his 
legs  could  carry  him. 

"  The  way  she  laughed,'and  jabbered, 
and  yelled,  was  enough  to  wake  the 
dead,  a'most,  and  she  sat  by  the  way- 
side and  mocked  me.  '  Who'd  a  thought 
the  brave  Oaptain  Tygart  would  be 
afraid  of  a  woman  V  she  said ; '  an  old 
woman,  too  ?  I  hope  you're  not  hurt 
Come  to  me,  and  I'll  help  you  up. 
Why  didn't  you  hold  on  to  the  bridle  T 
They  tell  me  you  were  a  trooper,  a  bold 
dragoon,  a  man  that  was  half  horse,  half 
devil — but  you  are  a  lubberly  fellow,  at 
best,  a  lout,  a  clown,  a  mere  booby;' 
and  she  advanced  towards  me,  and  said, 
'  Qet  up,  sir,  this  minute.'  '  That  I 
will,'  said  I ; '  and  if  I  don't  make  food 
for  crows  of  you,  you  old  hag,  dien  say 
my  name  is  not  Watt  Tygart — that's 
all  1'  and  up  I  got. 

"  But,  boys— you'll  hardly  believe  it 
— hang  me,  if  I  didn't  get  up  on  all 
fours  a  tall,  bony,  black  horse,  and  she 
put  a  bridle  in  my  mouth,  and  jumped 
on  my  back,  and  turned  my  head  th« 
other  way,  and  cut  and  lashed  me  with 
a  long  nding-whip,  as  savage  as  a  meat 
aze.  When  we  got  on  the  marsh,  we 
were  joined  by  three  other  old  women 
on  black  horses :  I  won't  mention  their 
names,  but  this  I  will  say,  no  man  op 
earth  would  have  expected  to  see  suvb 
respectable  old  ladies  playing  such 
pranks  in  such  devilish  company.  Well, 
away  we  scampered,  over  creeks,  dit<ihe8. 
honey-pots,  bogs,  holes,  and  duck-ponds, 
at  an  awful  pace,  the  old  witches  laugh- 
ing, and  swearing,  and  cursing  awfirily, 
and  a-plying  their  whips  incessantly. 
I  thought  I  should  have  died  for  want 
of  wind,  on  account  of  the  wound  in  my 
lungs;  but,  at  last,  we  reached  Fort 
Lawrence,  and  the  old  women  dis- 
mounted, and  put  us  into  the  chaplain's 
stable,  and  left  us  until  it  was  near  day- 
dawn,  when  back  they  came;  in  great 


In 

I' I 


-    THE  WITCH  OP  INKY  DELL. 


•  you!'  ftBd  1 
ihe  horse,  and 
down,  that's  a 
jd  straight  up 
id  leaped  for* 
I  I  fell  on  the 
middle  of  the 
s  hard  as  his 

,~and  jabbered, 

to  wake  the 
at  by  the  way- 
rho'd  a  thought 
mrt  would  be 
e  said; 'an  old 
ou're  not  hurt. 

help  you  up. 
1  to  the  bridle! 
91  trooper,  a  bold 

half  horse,  half 
bberly  fellow,  at 
a  mere  booby,* 
fds  me,  and  said, 
ante.'     'That  I 

don't  make  food 
)ld  hag,  then  say 
,t  Tygart— that's 


haste,  jabbering  and  muttering  in  some 
unknown  tongue,  took  us  into  the  yard, 

(lumped  into  their  seats,  and  off  like 
ightning  the  way  they  came.  At  the 
place  where  we  all  met,  we  all  separated 
again,  and  old  Noll  hurried  me  on,  pun- 
ishing me  every  step  with  whip  and 
spur,  most  cruelly.  At  kst,  she  drew 
up  at  my  gato  and  got  off,  and,  taking 
the  bridle  out  of  my  mouth,  and  giving 
me  a  cut  across  the  hind  quarters,  said, 
'  Jump,  sir !'  and  I  jumped  and  cleared 
it,  and  fell  down  from  exhaustion  the 
other  side,  and  when  I  got  up,  I  rose  in 
my  own  shape  and  dress — dod  drot  me, 
if  I  didn't !  and  went  to  my  own  house, 
and  turned  into  bed,  ashamed,  morti- 
fied, fatigued,  and  worried  to  death.  I 
dare  say  you  won't  believe  it,  boys — but 
it's  a  fact,  I  assure  you — I  hope  I  may 
die  if  it  ain't ! — it  is,  upon  my  soul ! 
true  as  training  I  My  sides  ached  for 
a  week,  and  were  very  tender  where  I 
was  spurred,  and  my  mouth  and  tongue 
were  very  sore  from  the  rusty  old  bit, 
and  my  heart  it  was  nearly  broke  to  be 
saddled  and  made  a  beast  of,  by  that 
old  she-dragon,  in  such  a  shameful 
manner. 

"  The  next  time  I  was  here,  I  walked 

home,  with  a  good  stout  stick  in  my 

hand,  so  as  to  be  secured  against  a  fall, 

and  to  defend  myself  against  her  if  I 

could,  and  I  positively  made  up  my 

mind,  if  I  caught  hold    of   the    old 

screech-owl,  to  beat  her  to  death.    Well, 

just  as  I  was  returning,  I  met  her  again 

at  the  self-same  spot.    '  Good  evening. 

Captain,'  she  said ;  '  so  you  are  walking 

to-night  V — '  What  the  devil  is  that  to 

you  V  I  replied.     '  Nothing,'  she  said ; 

I  only  wanted  to  borrow  your  horse, 

hut  you  will  do  yourself,  I  suppose, 

instead,  though   I  must  say  you  are 

ahout  the  slowest  and  clumsiest  beast 

[  ever  rode.'    '  Mother  Edwards,'  said 

1,  'none  of  your  cussed  nonsense  now. 

.  Stand  off,  I  beseech  you ;  for  if  you 

dare  to  come  within  reaeb  of  me,  I'll 

murder  you — 1   will,  upon  my  soul  I 

and  if  I  have  no  power  over  you  at 

night,  seeing  that  you're  leagued  with 

the  Devil  or  some  of  his  imps,  I'll  kill 

70V  by  day,  as  sure  as  there  is  a  Heaven 


above  us !' — *  Don't  talk  of  Heaven,  you 
villain !'  she  said,  most  provoking  cool ; 
*  you  have  neither  lot  nor  part  in  it. 
But   come,  give  me  your  band,  and 
promise  to  behave  like  a  man,  a  neigh- 
bor, and  a  Christian,  and  relinquish 
your  claim  to  Inky  dell,  and  I  will 
forgive  you.' — '  Avaunt,  Satan !'  said  I, 
' and  get  behind  me'     With  that  she 
uttered  a  fearful  yell,  and  flew  round  as 
quick  as  wink,  and  jumped  on  my  back, 
and  clung  to  me  like  a  tiger,  and  my 
arms  were  turned  into  legs,  and  myself 
into  a  black  horse,  again,  in  little  leas 
than  half  no  time,  and  whack  went  the 
whip,  and  dig  went  the  spur ;  and  off 
we  dashed,  as  before,  like  a  streak  of 
lightning ;  and  the  same  old  women, 
mounted  in  the  same  way,  joined  us 
again,  and  away  we   scampered,  over 
that  everlasting  long  old   Tantramar 
marsh,  to  the  fort.     As  I  arrived  last, 
I  was  turned  into  the  stable  loose,  with- 
out being  put  into  a  stall,  and  got  dread- 
fully kicked  in  the  breast  and  legs,  by 
a  wicked  devil  of  a  black  mare,  that  laid 
me  up  for  months;   and   I  was  rode 
home,  and  leaped  over  the  gate,  as  be- 
fore, and,  when  I  got  my  own  shape,  and    9 
looked  round  for  that  wretched  old  mis- 
creant, she  was  clean  gone  out  of  sight 
It  was  a  dreadful  ride,  that,  boys,  you 
may  depend  ;   and   my  tongue,  being 
kept  out  by  the  bits,  got  frostbitten,  so 
it  was  actually  too  big  for  my  mouth, 
and  I  had  to  keep  snow  on  it  ail  winter, 
to  cure  it.     It  feels  so  cold  now,  even 
at  the  thought  of  it,  that  1  must  have 
some  more  punch  to  warm  it.     Come, 
fellows,  fill  your  glasses  I      Sandford, 

{'ou  young  rogue,  stand  up  to  your  collar 
ike  a  man,  and  do  your  part — no  heel- 
taps, my  fine  fellows :  it  ain't  fair. 

"Well,  boys,  to  make  a  long  story 
short,  the  next  time  I  was  here,  and 
that  was  the  last  time  I  ever  darkened 
these  doors,  was  in  June,  just  three 
years  ago  this  month.  I  loaded  a  pair 
of  pistols  that  bitch,  and  put  them  into 
my  pocket,  and  was  determined  to  havo 
a  crack  at  her,  and,  if  that  didn't  do,  to 
stay  at  home  always  at  night,  when  evil 
spirits  are  abroad  on  the  face  of  tl.o 
earth.      Well,  she  met  me  again,  aa 


\i 


S28 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;   OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


BBual,  at  the  same  spot.  The  very  sight 
of  her  put  me  into  a  cold  sweat — dod 
drot  me,  if  it  didn't ! — '  You  are  late 
to-night,  Captain,'  said  she,  with  a  sort 
of  mock  softness  of  voice,  and  sweetness 
of  manner.  '  Better  late  than  never,' 
said  I ;  and  I  up  and  fired  right  into 
her  face.  'I  thought  you  was  a  good 
shot,  Captain,'  she  said,  coolly,  'but 
your  hand  is  out ;  it's  some  time  now 
since  you  killed  women  and  children, 
and,  besides,  it's  dark.  Fire  again,  for 
you  have  another  pistol  there — be  cool, 
now  :  take  good  aim,  for  a  murderer's 
arm  is  always  unsteady.'  '  Take  that,' 
you  old  hag,'  said  I,  <  for  your  impu- 
dence !'  and  I  fired  again  right  into  her, 
and  threw  the  pistol  at  her  with  all  my 
might.  '  Missed  it  again,  my  bold  dra- 
goon,' she  said,  laughing  ready  to  kill 
herself  '  Come,  we  must  be  off,  my 
pretty  charger,  for  our  time  is  short :' 
then  she  waved  her  hand,  and  in  a  mo- 
ment I  was  wrapped  in  horse-hide  the 
third  time,  and  off  we  flew,  as  before, 
only  faster,  for  she  was  in  a  desperate 
hurry,  and  thrashed  me  all  the  way,  and 
called  me  a  brute,  a  cart-horse,  a  broken- 
winded  beast,  and  /any  thing  she  could 
lay  her  tongue  to. 

"Well,  we  went  through  the  same 
manoeuvre  as  on  the  other  two  visits  to 
the  fort,  but  I  was  so  out  of  breath  on 
my  return,  that,  before  I  reached  my 
gate,  I  stumbled  and  fell,  and  when  I 
got  up,  there  I  was  in  my  own  shape, 
and  there  wms  old  Nelly,  with  the  bridle 
in  her  hand.  '  Mrs.  Edwards,'  said  I, 
'  I  have  a  favor  to  ask  of  you.'  '  What 
is  it  ?'  says  she ;  '  any  thing  lean  do  for 
you  in  the  .world  I  will  do  with  plea- 
sure.' '  Kill  me  on  the  spot,'  says  I, 
'  but  don't  treat  me  like  a  beast.'  '  Kill 
you,  Watty  dear  I'  she  said  ;  '  I  wouldn't 
hurt  a  hair  of  your  head  for  any  thing 
under  heaven.  You  are  a  brave  man, 
and  I  honor  you — a  handsome  man,  and 
I  love  you,  dear.  Kill  you  !  no,  never.' 
'  Then,  give  me  my  clothes,  madam, 
and  let  me  go  to  my  house.'  'Your 
olothes  I'  says  she ; '  dear  me !  I  dropped 
them  near  the  hay-stack  on  Deacon 
Fulton's  marsh.  Come,  I'll  show  you 
where  they  are:'  and  she  seized  my 


hand  and  walked  back ;  but,  heaTena 
and  earth  I  her  walk  was  so  everlastingly 
fast,  the  utmost  I  could  possibly  do  by 
running  as  hard  as  I  could  lay  leg  to 
the  ground,  was  to  keep  up  with  her— 
it  was  actually  worse  than  the  horse- 
gallop.  When  we  came  to  the  creeks, 
and  sloughs,  and  miry  places,  she  walked 
over  them  dry-footed,  and  I  nearly  sank 
up  to  my  middle,  when  she  would  drag 
me  out  by  the  arm,  till  she  nearly 
dragged  that  out,  too. 

"  Vt  last,  we  came  to  the  Deacon's 
Honeypot,  where  so  many  colts  were 
smothered,  and,  as  I  had  no  shoes  on, 
the  bones  of  the  critters  hurt  my  feet 
dreadfully.  When  I  got  out  of  that,  I 
looked  about  the  nastiest  thing  in  all 
creation,  covered  over  with  red  slime 
that  way,  and  she  laughed  like  any 
thing.  '  Come,'  said  she, '  take  a  swim 
now  across  this  creek,  and  wash  your- 
self;  for  on  the  other  side  is  the  hay- 
stack and  your  clothes.'  There  was  the 
stump  of  an  old  willow-tree  there,  and 
I  turned  my  back  on  her  and  sat  down, 
and  rested  my  elbows  on  my  knees,  and 
buried  my  head  in  my  hands,  devoured 
internally  by  sorrow  and  rage,  and  ex- 
ternally by  black  flies,  musquitoes,  and 
ants,  that  had  built  a  den  m  the  dead 
log.  My  heart  bled,  and  my  back  bled, 
and  my  feet  bled,  and  I  felt  about  the 
meanest  of  all  living  sinners.  '  Captain 
Tygart,'  said  she, '  You  are  a  brave  man , 
I  respect  your  courage  and  endurance ;' 
but  I  made  her  no  answer.  '  There  is 
no  back  out  in  you.'  I  said  nothing, 
but  I  thought  to  myself, '  O,  my  stars  I 
I  wish  to  goodness  I  could  back  out  of 
the  old  Witch's  clutches  !*  '  And  you 
are  a  handsome  man,'  she  continued ; 
*  the  handsomest  man  in  these  parts.  I 
really  admire  and  love  you.'  That 
word  love  made  my  very  blood  curdle 
with  disgust ;  it  made  me  sick  at  the 
stomach — dod  drot  me,  if  it  didn't! 
'Will  you  marry  me,  Watty?'  she 
asked.  '  I'll  see  you  d — d  first,'  I  said, 
'  and  then  I  wouldn't  t'  '  Don't  be  rash, 
Watty,'  she  said,  coaxingly,  and  a-brush- 
ing  the  flies  off  my  back  with  some  bul- 
rushes ;  '  don't  be  rash,  dear.  I  will  hk 
a  fond  and  good  wife  to  you,  and  I  an 


THE  WITCH  OP  INKY  DELL. 


229 


but,  heavens 
10  everlastingly 
possibly  do  by 
iould  lay  leg  to 

up  with  her— 
ban  the  horse- 
3  to  the  creeks, 
aces,  she  walked 
id  I  nearly  sank 
she  would  drag 
till  she  nearly 

10  the  Deacon's 
lany  colts  were 
lad  no  shoes  on, 
ers  hurt  my  feet 
rot  out  of  that,  I 
'iest  thing  in  all 
mih  red  slime 
aughed  like  any 
,he, '  take  a  swim 
:,  and  wash  your- 
ir  side  is  the  hay 
i.»    There  was  the 
)W-tree  there,  and 
her  and  sat  down, 
on  my  knees,  and 
y  hands,  devoured 
kud  rage,  and  ex- 
I,  musquitoes,  and 
den  in  the  dead 
Lud  my  back  bled, 
I  felt  about  the 
finners.     '  Captain 
a  are  a  brave  man, 
,;e  and  endurance ;' 
tnswer.    '  There  is 
I     I  said  nothingi 
^elf, '  0,  my  starsi 
[could  back  out  of 
Itches  1»    'And  you 
a '  she  continued ; 
I  In  these  parts.    I 
I  love  you.'     That 
I  very  blood  curdle 
Ide  me  sick  at  the 
"me,  if   it  didn't! 
ne,  Watty?'     she- 
d— d  first,'  I  said, 
j,l'    'Don't  be  rash, 
iingly.anda-brush- 
lack  with  some  bul- 
Wdear.    I  will  b* 
to  you,  and  I  w 


Dot  so  old  as  you  think.     I  am  a  young 
woman.     Press  your  hand  firmly  on 
your  eyes,  and  tell  me  what  you  see.' 
Well,  what  I  saw  absolutely  took  away 
all  my  voice,  it  astonished  me  so,  and  I 
didn't  speak.     '  What  do  you  see  V  she 
said   again.     'I   see  a  beautiful  girl,' 
said  I, '  one  of  the  most  beautiful  crea- 
tures I  ever  beheld.'    '  Well,  that's  me, 
Watty,  dear ;  turn  round,  and  louk  at 
me — that's  a  love  ;'  and  I  turned  round, 
uiid  sure  enough,  there  was  old  Nell  put 
back  in  years  to  twenty-four  or  twenty- 
five  years  of  age,  as    handsome  and 
blooming  as  I  suppose  she  might  have 
been  at  that  time  of  life.     Still  I  knew  it 
was  all  witchcraft,  and  I  shuddered  all 
over,  and  turned  back  again,  and  put 
my  hands  to  my  face.     '  Will  you  marry 
me  now,  Watty  dear  ?'   said  she.     '  I 
will  give  up  sorcery,  and  remain  a  young 
and  loving  bride '     '  Kill  me,'  said  I, 
'  if  you  like — drown  me  in  this  Honey- 
pot  among  Deacon  Fulton's  colts — do 
what  you  like  with  me — but  I  never  will 
ally  myself  to  the  Powers  of  Darkness. 
So  no,  there,  now.     Marry !  no,  never ! 
I'll  be  darned  to  darnation,  if  I  do !' 
'  Don't  be  rash,  dear,'  eho  said  again ; 
'  you  don't  know  what  you  are  refusing. 
I  have  untold  gold.'     '  I  don't  care  if 
you  have  your  weight  of  it  twice  over.' 
'  Yes,  but  I  have  fifty  times  that  amount. 
I  know  where  the  pirates'  treasures  are 
concealed — say  but  the  word  and  they 
are  yours.     Press  your  hands  on  your 
eyes  again,  and  I  will  show  them  to  you. 
What  do  you  see  now?'     '  I  see  a  large 
hay,'  said  I, '  filled  with  islands ;'  and 
iny  heart  jumped  to  my  mouth  the  mo- 
ment I  beheld  it,  for  I  knew  it  the  first 
glimpse  I  got  of  it.     It  was  La  Halve 
Bay,  whore  we  were  at  anchor  three 
days  in  a  calm,  on  our  way  to  Halifax  ; 
but  I  didn't  let  on  that  I  know'd  it. 
'  Look  again :  do  you  see  a  light  I  bave 
put  on  one  of  those  islands,  to  mark  it 
for  you?'    '  I  do,'  says  I.     '  Well,  what 
else  do  you  see  ?'     Before  I  answered 
her,  I  counted  the  islands  right  and  left 
of  it,  and  took  the  bearings  from  the 
I  river,  and  the  distance  from  the  Cape 
ill  in  my  mind,  so  as  to  be  sure  to  know 
it  again,  and  I  do  know  it,  boys — I  do, 


upon  my  soul  t  I  hope  I  may  die,  if  I 
don't — fact,  I  assure  you,  boys,  true  aa 
Gospel !  '  Well,  what  do  you  see  ?'  she 
said.  '  I  see  a  cave,'  said  I, '  and  chests 
of  gold  bars  in  it,  and  others  filled  with 
images,  crucifixes,  censers,  and  long 
candlesticks  of  the  same  metal.'  '  They 
are  prizes  from  the  Spanish  main,  dear,' 
said  she.  '  What  else  do  you  see  ?  for 
that  ain't  half  that's  there.'  'Why, 
boxes  of  gold,  o^i^ins  of  all  sorts,  and  great 
heaps  of  money  piled  up  ;  and  trunks 
of  jewels  of  avery  size  and  variety.' 
'  Consent,  and  I  will  give  you  all  that,, 
and  another  hoard  on  the  mainland 
more  rich  than  ^at,'  says  she, '  Watty, 
and  we  will  leav^  this  country  and  go 
where  we  ain't  konwn,  and  live  rich  and 
happy  all  the  days  of  oUr  life.' 

•'  Well,  I  won't  say  I  warn't  tempted, 
because  that  would  be  a  lie  which  never 
yet  disgraced  Captain  Tygart's  lips.  A 
little  loose  talk  I  plead  guilty  to,  for 
soldiers  are  not  parsons,  and  preaching 
by  general  orders  is  the  duty  of  a  chap- 
lain :  but  a  lie  ! — I  scorn  it  as  I  do  a 
nigger.  I  was  tempted — that's  a  fact. 
It  made  my  mouth  water,  so  it  actually 
choked  me  a'most,  and  made  me  drivel 
like  an  idiot ;  but  then  I  thought  what's 
the  use  of  all  that  wealth,  after  all,  if 
ill  got.  The  pirates  had  to  hide  it,  and 
leave  it,  and  it  didn't  save  them  from 
getting  hanged;  and  if  I  get  it  by 
witchcraft,  perhaps,  it  wouldn't  make 
me  happy  neither.  It  would  be  better 
to  take  it  hereafter  by  right  of  discov- 
ery. '  What  do  you  say,  Watty  dear, 
now  ?  Will  you  marry  me  V  '  No,'  says 
I ;  '  never !'  '  Then  take  that,'  said  she, 
'  you  good  for-uothing,  stupid,  heartless 
wretch  I'  fetching  me  a  blow  on  the 
side  of  the  head,  that  knocked  me  down 
insensible  on  the  ground. 

"  When  I  awoke,  it  was  broad  full  day, 
the  sun  was  up  a  considerable  piece,  and 
actually  blistered  me  all  over  where  the 
insects  had  bit  me.  I  was  lame,  stiff, 
sore,  and  faint ;  and  how  in  the  world  I 
was  to  get  home  I  couldn't  tell  for  the 
soul  of  me.  I  couldn't  get  back  the 
way  I  cume,  for  that  was  impossible,  on 
account  of  the  miry  ground;  and  to 
head  all  the  creeks,  and  go  round  all  the 


<j 


1 


830 


THE  OLD  JUDGE ;    OR,  IIFE  IN  A  COl.ONT. 


L^f 


Honeypots,  and  leap  all  the  ditches, 
Beamed  past  my  strength ;  but  it  was 
neok  or  nothing,  and  I  tried  it,  and  at 
last  got  off  the  marsh,  and  reached  Ned 
Dykins'  place,  and,  seeing  the  stable 
door  open,  I  thought  Ned  plight  be 
there  a-feeding  of  his  cattle,  ano"  I  went 
in  to  beg  him  to  lend  me  some  clothes 
to  make  myself  decent,  and  to  give  me 
something  to  eat,  for  I  was  e'en  a'most 
beat  out.  The  first  person  I  saw,  when 
I  entered,  was  Mrs.  Dykins  a-milking 
of  her  cows,  and,  as  soon  as  she  got  sight 
of  tne,  she  screamed,  upset  her  bucket, 
and  off  like  a  shot  out  of  the  other  door, 
and  I  after  her,  calL'ng  on  her,  for 
Heaven's  sake,  to  stopMud  speak  to  me ; 
but,  the  more  I  oale^d,  the  more  she 
screamed ;  and  away  she  flew  to  the 
house,  and  set  the  dogs  on  me,  and 
barred  the  door.  The  cussed  critturs 
made  at  me  so  wicked,  I  was  obliged  to 
draw  a  stake  from  the  fence,  and  stretch 
two  of  them  out  before  I  could  get 
away. 

**  Then  off  I  goes  to  Jerusha  Ghubbs. 
Well,  Ohubbs  was  away  to  the  militia- 
training,  and  all  the  men -folk  with  him ; 
and,  when  I  came  to  the  door,  his  daugh- 
ter was  stooping  down  at  the  woodpile, 
a  picking  up  chips  in  her  apron ;  and, 
when  she  saw  a  naked'  man  coming  up, 
she  dropt  the  chijps,  and  off  like  a  shot 
too,  yelling  like  ail  possessed ;  and  old 
Mother  Chubbs,  the  she-devil,  got  down 
the  duck  gun,  and  swore  she  would  shoot 
me,  if  I  attempted  to  come  in,  and  I 
knew  she  would  be  as  good  as  her  word, 
too,  for  she  pinked  more  nor  one  of  the 
rebels  that  came  plundering  about  her 
father's  house  in  the  war. 

"  It  seemed  to  me  as  if  all  the  world 
had  turned  agin  me,  and  I  had  a  great 
mind  to  lie  right  down,  and  cuss  all  cre- 
ation and  die ;  and  I  believe  I  should, 
if  it  hadn't  been  that  the  thoughts  of 
the  pirates'  treasures  kind  of  cheered  me 
a  little.  While  I  was  standing  doubt- 
ing what  to  do,  I  spied  a  clothes-line 
hanging  in  the  yard,  with  ever  so  many 
things  on  it,  so  I  went  there,  to  see  if  I 
could  find  anv  thing  to  put  on,  but,  as 
Ul  luck  would  have  it,  they  was  all  wo- 
men's garments.     And  there  I  waa  in 


another  fix :  ut  last  I  got  desperatei, 
pulled  off  a  red  flannel  petticoat  of  the 
old  woman's,  and  jumped  into  it,  and 
then  got  a  short  bed-gown,  and  squeezed 
into  that,  after  a  few  rips,  and  splits, 
and  tears,  in  stretching  it ;  and  off  I 
went  home,  where  I  scared  even  my 
own  servants  out  of  their  wits. 

"  I  took  to  my  bed,  and  kept  it  ever 
so  long,  for  shame  and  vexation  ;  and  at 
last  I  came  to  a  resolution  never  to  go 
out  at  night,  when  the  Powers  of  Dark- 
ness were  let  loose ;  and  by  day  to  carry 
the  Bible  in  one  pocket,  and  the  Prayer 
Book  in  the  other,  for  protection,  seeing 
pistols  were  no  good  ;  and  there  I  have 
been  a  prisoner  ever  since,  till  this  day, 
when  the  Devil  flew  away  with  the  Witch 
of  Inky  Dell.  Now,  that's  a  fact,  boys, 
I  assure  you — it  is,  upon  my  soul !  I 
hope  I  may  die  if  it  ain't  I 

"  You  may  talk,  boys,  about  civilized 
warfare,  such  as  pitched  battles,  and 
sieges,  and  ambushes,  and  skirmishes, 
and  cavalry  charges,  and  hand  to  hand 
work,  but  what  is  it  after  all,  fellows  ? — 
for  I've  been  in  them  all— why,  just 
good  schooling  for  a  soldier,  and  nothing 
more.  And  you  may  talk  about  Indian 
warfare  (where  a  man  wants  all  his  wita 
about  him,  I  can  tell  you),  and  boast  of 
tomahawkine,  aud  scalping,  and  pistol- 
ing, and  all  that.  And  pretty  hard 
work  it  is,  too,  to  have  bullets  flying 
bbout  you  every  where,  and  you  not  see 
your  enemy ;  but  what  is  it,  after  all, 
but  duelling  at  a  hundred  yards,  with 
the  butt  of  a  tree  to  cover  you  1  It's 
cowardly  work  I  The  weapon  for  a  man, 
boys,  is  a  bayonet,  and  then  it's  a  hurrah, 
a  charge,  and  a  squeak,  and  it's  all  over. 

"If  the  British  Government  had 
taken  my  advice,  that  cussed  rebellion 
would  have  been  ended  in  six  weeks. 
Says  I  to  Sir  Harry  Clinton, '  Sir  Har- 
ry,' says  I, '  hang  every  d — d  rebel  taken 
in  arms,  and  the  game's  ours  in  no>time.' 
Says  he, '  I'm  afraid  the  rebels  will  hang 
their  prisoners  in  return.' — '  Serve  them 
right,'  says  I ;  '  d — n  them  I  I  hope 
they  will.  Let  them  die  fighting  like 
men,  and  they  will  escape  hanging  liki 
dogs.' — '  It  will  exasperate  the  colonists, 
says  he.' — '  It  exasperates  them  much 


THE  WITCH  OF  INKY  DELL. 


ttl 


got  desperate, 
lettiooat  of  the 
ed  into  it,  and 
n,  and  squeezed 
•ips,  and  splits, 
5  it;  and  off  1 
cared  even  my 
ir  wits. 

ind  kept  it  ever 
exation ;  and  at 
ition  never  to  go 
Powers  of  Dark- 
d  by  day  to  carry 
b.  and  the  Prayer 
protection,  seeing 
and  there  I  have 
tnce,  till  this  day, 
ny  with  the  Witch 
hat's  a  fact,  boys, 
ipon  my  soul  I   I 

vs.  about  civilized 
ched  battles,  and 
3   and  skirmishes, 
and  hand  to  hand 
fter  all, fellows?— 
fm  all— why,  just 
[oldier,  and  nothing 
talk  about  Indian 
.wants  allhiswita 
you),  and  boast  of 
jalping,  and  pistol- 
And  pretty  hard 
lave  bullets  flying 
•e,  and  you  not  see 
lat  is  it,  after  all, 
.ndred  yards,  with 
cover  you?    Its 
weapon  for  a  man, 
,  then  it's  a  hurrah, 
ik,  and  it's  all  over. 
Government  had 
it  cussed  rebellion 
[ded  in  six  weeks. 
Clinton, '  Sir  Har- 
ry d— d  rebel  taken 
le's  ours  in  no.time. 
ihe  rebels  will  hang 
ro '_.'  Serve  them 
-n  them  I    I  hoM 
die  fighting  like 
ioape  hanging  h" 
lerate  the  colonists, 
lerates  them  much 


more,  your  Excellency,'  says  I,  '  to  see 
you  pardon  them  villains  that  way.  Sir 
Harry,'  said  I,  '  mark  my  words — con,' 
cilialion  is  the  father^  and  clemency  the 
mother  of  rebellion,  and  a  d — d  pretty 
child  it  is,  too ;  having  all  the  igno- 
rance and  meanness  of  one  pa^entf  and 
the  hypocrisy  and  cowardice  of  the  oth' 
er.' 

"  But  that  is  neither  here  nor  there, 
fellows.  As  I  was  a-saj^ng,  talk  of 
civilized  warfare,  or  Indian  warfare,  or 
any  warfare  you  please ;  but  the  Lord 
preserve  me  from  Spiritual  warfare! 
Fact,  I  assure  you,  boys — it  is,  upon 
my  soul  I  I  hope  I  may  die  if  it 
ain't! — true  as  fate !  Fill  your  glasses, 
boja,  then  let's  have  another  brew,  and 


then  hurrah  for  a  song — the  Major's 
song : 

The  rebel  flag  waved  high  in  air, 
Above  the  ragged  crew, 
When  Tarlton,  &c." 

As  Captain  Tygart  had  promised* 
they  certainly  made  a  night  of  it — such 
a  night,  indeed,  as  I  never  saw  before, 
and  hope  never  to  witness  again. 

Poor  Watt,  the  Tiger,  is  long  since 
dead.  He  lost  his  life  in  a  vain  attempt 
to  raise  the  pirates'  treasure,  that  the 
Witch  of  Inky  Dell  disclosed  to  him,  in 
La  Halve  Island.  It  was  a  very  re- 
markable adventure;  and,  some  other 
evening,  I  will  relate  to  you  how  he 
came  to  his  end,  in  endeavoring  to 
ondermine  and  blow  up  the  Devil 


•s  •■?■). 


\  , 


■ '  u  ■  \  •*. 


;,■  .:•>  •;  -:. 

•!••     I    ■  '<ir'. 


!'■■   '-1-  /■ 


X 


■  I  f.  ,- 


;f;- 


COLONIAL  GOVERNMENT 


When  we  rose  from  the  brea^fieist- 
table  yesterday,  the  Judge  said,  If  you 
will  have  the  goodness  to  accompany  me 
into  my  study,  I  will  giye  you  an  out- 
lino  of  the  Constitution  of  these  Lower 
Provinces,  which  I  have  drawn  up  for 
your  information.  There  is  no  colonial 
work  professedly  treating  of  the  subject, 
and  it  is  only  incidentally  mentioned, 
or  briefly  referred  to,  in  English  law 
books.  To  render  it  as  useful  and  in- 
telligible to  you  as  possible,  I  have  eiven 
an  abstract  of  it  as  it  existed  until  the 
year  1837,  and  then  added  an  account 
of  the  modifications  it  has  subsequently 
undergone.  I  have  preferred  this  course 
to  the  usual  mode  of  incorporating  both 
into  one,  in  order  that  you  may  clearly 
omprehend  the  extent  of  those  innova- 
tions, and  form  an  opinion  as  to  the 
consequences  that  will  probably  result 
from  such  organic  changes. 

The  Constitution  of  England,  as  it 
stood  at  the  discovery  of  America,  had 
nothing  in  its  nature  providing  for  col- 
onies. They  have,  therefore,  at  different 
periods  of  their  growth,  experienced 
very  different  traatment.  At  first,  they 
were  considered  lands  without  the  limits 
of  the  realm, and  not  annexed  to  it;  and, 
as  the  people  who  settled  these  in  par- 
tibus  exteris  were  liege  subjects,  the  king 
assumed  the  right  of  property  and  gov- 
ernment, to  the  preclusion  of  the  juris- 
diction of  the  State.  He  called  them 
bis  foreign  dominions,  his  possessions 
abroad,  not  parts  and  parcels  of  the 
realm,  and  as  not  yet  annexed  to  the 
crown. 

It  was  upon  this  principle  that,  in 
the  year  16!21,  when  tne  Commons  as- 


serted their  righ.*  tc  %  ^''.irlsdiotion  cv/«.- 
them,  by  attempting  tn  pass  a  Bill  for 
establishing  a  fren  nsherv  on  the  co^«^ 
of  Virginia,  New  England,  and  New- 
foundland, they  vere  informed  that  it 
was  not  fit  for  them  to  make  laws  for 
those  countries,  which  were  not  yet  an- 
nexed to  the  crown,  and  that  tbn  Bill 
was  not  proper  for  that  House,  a<)  it 
concerned  America.  Upon  this  assump- 
tion, the  colonies  were  settled  by  the 
king's  license,  and  the  governments  es- 
tablished by  royal  charters ;  while  the 
people,  emigrating  to  the  provinces, 
considered  themselves  out  of  the  realm ; 
and  in  their  executive  and  legislative 
capacities,  in  immediate  connection  with 
the  king  as  their  only  sovereign  lord. 
These  novel  possessions  requiring  some 
form  of  government,  the  selection  be- 
came exceedingly  difficult. 

At  last,  an  analogy  was  supposed  to 
exist  between  the  colonies  and  the  Duchy 
of  Normandy,  and  a  somewhat  similar 
constitution  *  was  adopted  as  had  been 

*  It  is,  however,  observable  that,  although  it 
was  evidently  the  intention  of  the  mother  coun- 
try to  grant  the  power  of  election  to  the  people 
of  the  colonies,  so  soon  as  they  should  be  in  a 
situation  to  receive  a  representative  form  of  gov- 
ernment, yet  the  people  assumed  the  right  them- 
selves, as  appears  by  the  following  extract  from 
"  Hutchinson,"  vol.  i.,  p.  94.—"  Virginia  had  been 
many  years  distracted  under  the  government  of 
President,  and  Governors  with  Councils,  in 
whose  nomination  or  removal  the  people  haa  no 
voice,  until,  in  the  year  162U,  a  House  of  Bur- 
gesses broke  out  in  the  colony ;  the  king  or  the 
grand  council  at  home  not  having  given  any 
powers  or  directions  for  it.  The  Governor  and 
Assistants  of  Massachusetts  at  first  intended  to 
rule  the  peopin,  but  this  lasted  two  or  three  years 
only  i  and,  although  there  is  no  color  for  it  in  the 
charter,  yet  a  House  of  Deputies  appeared  sud- 
denly in  1634,  to  the  surprise  of  tliu  magistrates 


COLONIAL  GOVERNMENT. 


238 


ufisdiotion  c*/*." 
naa  a  BiU  fov 
V  on  the  o<v>fi^ 
md.  and  New- 
formed  that  it 
make  lavs  for 
rere  not  yet  an- 
i  that  th«  Bill 
it  House,  as  it 
pon  this  asaump- 
settled  by  the 
governments  es- 
rters;  while  the 
the    provinces, 
»ut  of  the  realm ; 
and  legislative 
connection  with 
sovereign  lord, 
requiring  some 
he  selection  be- 
olt. 

iras  supposed  to 
es  and  the  Duchy 
omewhat  similar 
ted  as  had  been 

jle  that,  although  it 
of  the  mother  coun- 
Bction  to  the  people 
they  should  be  in  a 
sntative  form  of  gov- 
imed  the  right  them- 
lowing  extract  from 
— "  Virginia  had  been 
r  the  government  of 

with  CouncilB,  in 
(a\  the  people  had  no 
20,  a  House  of  Bur- 
ny  ;  the  king  or  the 
t  having  given  any 

The  Governor  and 
p  at  first  intended  to 
ed  two  or  three  yeari 
i  no  color  for  it  in  the 
puties  appeared  sud- 
le  of  the  magistratei 


used  for  the  Island  of  Jersey.  The 
king  having  assumed  a  right  to  govern 
the  colonies  without  the  intervention  of 
Parliament,  so  the  two  Houses  of  Lords 
and  Commons  exerted  the  same  power 
without  his  concurrence.  They  ap- 
pointed the  Earl  of  Warwick  Governor- 
in-Chief  of  all  the  Plantations  of  Amer- 
ica, created  a  committee  for  their  reg- 
ulation, and  passed  several  laws  con- 
cerning them. 

Upon  the  restoration  of  monarchy, 
the  constitution  of  the  colonies  received 
a  great  change.  Parliament  asserted, 
that  all  his  Majesty's  foreign  dominions 
were  part  of  the  realm ;  and  then,  for 
the  first  time  in  their  proper  capacity, 
interposed  in  their  regulation  and  gov- 
ernment. From  that  period,  sundry 
laws  have  been  passed  regulating  their 
commerce,  and  having,  in  other  respects, 
a  direct  operation  on  them.  The  boun- 
dary of  jurisdiction  between  imperial 
and  local  Parliaments  had  been  settled 
by  the  mutual  consent,  or  rather  acqui- 
escence, of  both  bodies,  on  the  broad 
basis  of  constitutional  liberty  and  com- 
mon sense ;  the  supremacy  of  the  former 
having  been  acknowledged,  in  all  exter- 
nal, and  of  the  latter,  in  all  internal 
affairs.  Collision  was  thus  effectually 
avoided  ;  and  each  body  wisely  confined 
itself  to  those  matters  in  which  it  was 
not  only  most  interested,  but  the  best 
informed,  and  most  competent  to  decide. 
The  unalterable  right  of  property,  how- 
ever, had  been  guaranteed  to  colonists, 
by  the  act  renouncing  the  claim  of  tax- 

and  the  disappointment  of  their  schemes  of  power. 
Connecticut  soon  after  followed  the  plan  of  Mas- 
Hachusetts.  New  Haven,  although  the  people 
had  the  highest  reverence  for  their  leaders,  yet 
on  matters  of  legislation,  the  people,  from  the  be- 
ginning, would  have  their  share  by  their  repre- 
sentative. New  Hampshire  combined  together 
under  the  same  form  with  Massachusetts.  Bar- 
badoes,  or  the  Leeward,  began  in  1625,  struggled 
under  GK)vernors,  and  Councils,  and  contending 
Proprietors,  twenty  years.  At  length,  in  1645, 
hn  Assembly  was  called,  and  the  reason  given 
was  that,  by  the  grant  of  the  Earl  of  Carlisle,  the 
inhabitants  were  to  have  all  the  liberties,  privi- 
leges, and  franchises  of  English  subjects.  After 
the  Restoration,  there  is  no  instance  on  the  Amer- 
ican continent  of  a  colony  settled  without  a  rep- 
resentation of  the  people,  nor  any  attempt  to 
deprive  the  colonies  of  this  privilege,  except  in 
uie  arbitnuy  reign  of  James  the  Second." 


ation,  the  18th  of  Qeorge  III.,  by  which 
it  was  declared  "that  the  Kintr  and 
Parliament  of  Great  Britain  will  not 
impose  any  duty,  tax,  or  assessment, 
whether  payable  in  any  of  his  Majesty's 
Colonies,  Provinces,  or  Plantations,  in 
North  America  or  the  West  Indies, 
except  such  duties  as  it  may  be  expedi- 
ent to  impose  for  the  regulation  of  com- 
merce ;  the  net  produce  of  such  duties 
to  be  always  paid  and  applied  to,  and 
for  the  use  of  the  Colony,  Province,  or 
Plantation,  in  which  the  same  shall  be 
respectively  levied,  in  such  manner  as 
other  duties,  collected  by  the  authority 
of  the  respective  General  Courts  or 
General  Assemblies  of  such  Colonies. 
Provinces,  or  Plantations,  are  ordinarily 
paid  and  applied." 

The  rights  of  the  Crown  again,  which 
were  perfectly  compatible  with  the  leg 
islative  supremacy  of  tha  Provincial 
Assembly,  were  duly  guarded  and  se- 
cured, by  the  negative  of  the  Governor , 
by  his  standing  instructions  not  to  give 
his  assent  to  any  law  of  a  doubtful  na- 
ture without  a  clause  suspending  its 
operation,  until  his  Majesty's  pleasure 
should  be  known;  and  by  the  power 
assumed  and  exercised,  of  disagreeing 
to  any  law  within  three  years  after  it 
had  passed  the  Colonial  Legislature. 
There  was  originally  much  variety  in 
the  constitutions  of  the  several  Ameri- 
can Provinces,  arising  out  of  the  un- 
limited power  of  the  King  to  grant  them 
upon  such  terms  and  conditions  as  he 
thought  proper ;  but,  at  the  close  of  the 
Rebellion,  in  1784,  they  were  in  general 
reduced  to  three  classes. 

1st,  Proprietary  Governments,  granted 
by  the  Crown  to  individuals,  in  the 
nature  of  Feudatory  Principalities,  with 
all  the  inferior  regalities  and  feudatory 
powers  of  legislation,  which  formerly 
belonged  to  Counties  Palatine,  on  con- 
dition that  the  object  for  which  the 
grant  had  been  made  should  be  substan- 
tially pursued,  and  nothing  should  be 
attempted  in  derogation  of  the  authority 
of  the  King  of  Englan^.  Of  this  kind 
were  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  and  Car 
olina. 

2nd,    Charter   Governments,  in    the 


234 


THE  OLD  JUDGE  i  OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONY. 


It'' 


natare  of  civil  oorporations,  with  the 
power  of  making  by-laws,  for  their  own 
interDal  regulations,  and  with  such 
rights  and  authorities  as  were  especially 
given  to  them  in  their  several  acts  of 
incorporations.  The  only  Charter  Gov- 
ernments that  remained  at  the  com- 
menoement  of  the  Civil  War,  were  the 
Coloniey  of  Massachusetts'  Bay,  Rhode 
Island,  Providence,  and  Connecticut. 

3rd,  Provincial  Governments,  the  con- 
stitutions of  which  depended  on  the 
respective  commissions  issued  by  the 
Crown  to  the  Governors,  and  the  in- 
structions which  accompanied  them. 

Under  this  authority.  Provincial  As- 
semblies had  been  constituted,  with  the 
power  of  making  local  ordinances  not 
repugnant  to  the  laws  of  England.  For 
some  time  previously  to  the  Revolution 
in  America,  the  popular  leaders  affected 
to  call  the  Provincial  Establishments, 
or  King's  Governments  on  the  Conti- 
nent, Colonies,  instead  of  Provinces, 
from  an  opinion  they  had  conceived  that 
the  word  Province  implied  a  conquered 
country.  But,'  whatever  distinction 
there  might  once  have  been  between 
the  terms  Province,  Colony,  and  Planta- 
tion, there  seemed  now  to  be  none  what- 
ever, and  they  were  indiscriminately 
used  in  several  Acts  of  Parliament.  A 
Provincial  Government  was  immediate- 
ly dependent  upon  the  Crown  ;  and  the 
King  remained  Sovereign  of  the  coun- 
try. He  appointed  the  Governor  and 
Officers  of  State,  and  the  people  elected 
the  Representatives,  as  in  England. 
The  Judicial  establishments  were  simi- 
lar to  those  of  the  mother  country,  and 
their  Legislatures  consisted  of  a  Gover- 
nor, representing  the  Crown,  a  Council, 
or  Upper  House,  and  an  Assembly  cho- 
sen by  and  representing  the  people  at 
large. 

The  following  is  a^  short  account  of 
the  powers  and  privileges  exercised  in 
Nova  Scotia  by  these  several  branches, 
previously  to  the  year  1837. 


"-i.< 


Governm: 


The  Provinces  of  British  North 
America  were  in  general  comprised  in 
gne  command,  and  the  Captain-General, 


Governor,  and  Commander-in  chief  re- 
sided in  Canada.  The  Governors  of 
the  several  provinces  were  styled  Lieu- 
tenant-Governors, and  had  the  title  of 
Excellency,  in  consequence  of  being  the 
King's  immediate  representatives.  The 
Governor  of  Nova  Scotia  had  the  rank 
of  Lieutenant-General,  and  was  styled 
Lieutenant-Governor  and  Commander- 
in-Chief  in  and  over  his  Majesty's  Prov- 
ince of  Nova  Scotia  and  its  dependen- 
cies, Chancellor  and  Vice- Admiral  of 
the  same.  He  was  invested  with  the 
following  powers : — 

1.  As  Commander-in-Chief,  he  had 
the  actual  command  of  all  the  Militia, 
and,  if  a  senior,  military  officer  of  all 
the  army  within  his  Government,  and 
he  commissioned  all  officers  of  the  Mili- 
tia. He  appointed  the  Judges  of  all 
the  different  Courts  of  Common  Law, 
and  nominated  and  superseded,  at  will, 
the  Justices  of  the  Peace,  and  other 
subordinate  civil  officers.  With  the 
advice  of  his  Council,  he  had  authority 
to  summon  General  Assemblies,  which 
he  might,  from  time  to  time,  prorogue 
and  dissolve,  as  he  alone  should  judge 
needful.  All  such  civil  employments  as 
the  Crown  did  not  dispose  of,  were  part 
of  his  patronage,  and,  whenever  vacan- 
cies happened  in  such  offices  as  were 
usually  filled  up  by  the  British  Gov- 
ernment, the  Governor  appointed  pro 
tempore,  and  the  persons  so  appointed 
were  entitled  to  the  emoluments  till 
those  who  were  nominated  to  supersede 
them  arrived  in  the  colony.  He  had, 
likewise,  authority,  when  he  should 
judge  any  offender  in  criminal  matters 
a  fit  object  of  mercy,  to  extend  the 
King's  pardon  towards  him,  except  in 
cases  of  murder  and  high  treason,  and 
even  in  those  instances,  he  was  permi^ 
ted  to  reprieve  until  the  signification 
of  the  Royal  pleasure. 

2.  The  Governor  had  the  custody  of 
the  Great  Seal,  presided  in  the  High 
Court  of  Chancery,  and  in  general  exer- 
cised within  his  jurisdiction  the  same 
extensive  powers  as  were  possessed  bj 
the  Lord  High  Chancellor  of  Great 
Britain,  with  the  exception  of  those 
taken  away  by  particular  statutes. 


as 


COLONIAL  GOV£RNMENT. 


285 


ier-in  chief  re- 
Governors  of 

e  styled  Lieu- 
id  the  title  of 

ce  of  being  the 

jntatives.    The 

a  had  the  rank 

tnd  was  styled 

i  Commander- 

Majesty's  Prov- 
its  dependen- 

ioe-Admiral  of 

ested  with  the 

-Chief,  he  had 
all  the  Militia, 
ry  officer  of  all 
overnment,  and 
oers  of  the  Mili- 
a  Judges  of  all 
;  Common  Law, 
perseded,  at  will, 
'eace,  and  other 
■crs.  With  the 
he  had  authority 
Lssomblies,  which 

0  time,  prorogue 
)ne  should  judge 

1  employments  as 
lose  of,  were  part 
whenever  vaoan- 

i  offices  as  were 
the  British  Gov- 
,r  appointed  pro 
ins  80  appointed 
emoluments  till 
,ted  to  supersede 
solony.     He  had, 
hen    he    should 
criminal  matters 
.  to  extend  the 
IS  him,  except  in 
jigh  treason,  and 
^,  he  was  permit- 
the  signification 

Ld  the  custody  of 
Jed  in  the  High 
J  in  general  exer- 
[diction  the  same 
lere  possessed  bj 
Incellor  of  Great 
Iception  of  those 
liar  statutes. 


3.  He  bad  the  power  by  law  of  grant- 
ing probate  of  wills  and  administration 
of  the  effects  of  persons  dyin"  ..estate, 
aad,  by  statute,  granted  licenses  for 
marriages. 

4.  He  presided  in  the  Court  of  Error, 
of  which  he  and  the  Council  were 
Judges,  to  hear  and  determine  all  ap- 
peals in  the  nature  of  writs  of  error 
from  the  Superior  Courts  of  Common 
Law. 

5.  The  Governor  was  also  Vice-Ad- 
miral within  his  Government,  although 
be  could  not,  as  such,  issue  his  warrant 
to  the  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Vice-Ad- 
miralty to  grant  commissions  to  priva- 
teers. 

6.  He  had  an  annual  provision  settled 
upon  him,  for  the  whole  term  of  his  ad- 
ministration in  the  colony ,  and,  that  he 
might  not  be  tempted  to  diminish  the 
dignity  of  his  station  by  improper  con- 
descensions to  leading  men  in  the  As- 
sembly, he  was  in  general  restrained  by 
his  instructions  from  accepting  any  sal- 
ary, unless  the  same  should  ho  settled 
upon  him  by  law  within  the  space  of  one 
year  after  his  entrance  into  the  Govern- 
ment, and  expressly  made  irrevocable 
during  the  whole  term  of  his  residence 
in  the  administration,  which  appeared 
to  be  a  wise  and  necessary  restriction. 

A  Governor,  on  his  arrival  in  the 
Province,  agreeably  to  the  directions  of 
his  commission  and  his  instructions  in 
the  first  place,  caused  his  commission  as 
Governor  and  Commander-in-Chief,  and 
also  of  Vice-Admiral,  to  be  read  and 
published  at  the  first  meeting  of  the 
Council,  and  also  in  such  other  manner 
as  had  been  usually  observed  on  such 
occasions.  In  the  next  place,  he  took 
the  customary  oaths  of  office,  and  ad- 
ministered the  same  to  each  member  of 
the  Council.  Every  Governor,  together 
with  his  commission,  received  a  large 
body  of  instructions  for  his  guidance  in 
the  discharge  of  his  various  duties.  In 
the  event  of  his  death,  the  senior  mili- 
tary officer  took  the  command  of  the 
colony  until  an  appointment  was  made 
by  his  Majesty,  and  was  required  to 
take  the  same  oaths,  and  make  the  same 
deolaration  as  a  Governor.    Such  were 


the  powers  and  duties  of  a  Governor ; 
and  the  mode  of  redicss  for  t)ie  viol»> 
tion  of  these  duties,  or  any  injuries 
committed  by  him  upon  the  people,  was 
prescribed  with  equal  care.  The  party 
complaining  had  h^s  choice  of  three 
modes — 1st,  by  application  to  Parlia- 
ment ;  2nd,  by  complaint  to  the  Privy 
Council ;  3rd,  by  action  in  the  King's 
Bench. 

By  statute  11th  and  12th  WUliam 
III.,  cap.  12,  confirmed  and  extended 
by  42na  George  III.,  cap.  85,  all  offen- 
ces committed  by  governors  of  planta- 
tions, or  any  other  persons  in  the  exe- 
cution of  their  offices  in  any  public 
service  abroad,  might  be  prosecuted  in 
the  Court  of  King's  Bench  in  England. 
The  indictment  was  to  be  laid  in  Mid- 
dlescx,  and  the  offenders  were  punisha- 
ble as  if  they  had  been  committed  in 
England.  The  Court  of  King's  Bench 
was  empowered  to  award  a  mandamus 
to  any  Court  of  Judicature,  or  to  the 
Governor  of  the  Colony  where  the 
offence  was  committed,  to  obtain  proof 
of  the  matter  alleged,  and  the  evidence 
was  to  be  transmitted  back  to  that 
Court,  and  admitted  upon  the  trial. 

The  Council. 

The  council  consisted  of  twelve  mem- 
bers, who  were  appointed  either  by  being 
named  in  the  Governor's  instruotiotis, 
by  mandamus,  or  by  the  Goverror. 
Their  privileges,  powers,  and  office,  ^ere 
as  follows : 

1.  They  were  severally  styled  Hon- 
orable, and  took  precedence  next  to  the 
C  ommander-in-Chief 

2.  They  were  a  Council  of  State,  the 
Governor  or  Commander-in-Chief  pre- 
siding in  person,  to  whom  they  stood  in 
the  same  relation  as  the  Privy  Council 
in  Great  Britain  does  to  the  Sovereign. 

3.  They  were  named  in  every  com- 
mission of  theipeace  as  Justices  through- 
out the  Province. 

4.  They  sat  together  with  the  Gover- 
nor as  Judges  in  the  Court  of  Error  or 
Court  of  Appeal  in  civil  causes,  from 
the  Courts  of  Record,  and  constituted 
also  a  Court  of  Marriage  and  Divorce. 

5.  The    Council  was  a  constituent 


886 


THE  OLD  JUDGEi   OR,  LIFE  LV  A  COLONV. 


W. 


part  of  tho  Legislature,  as  their  consent 
was  necessary  to  the  enacting  of  laws. 
In  this  capacity  of  Legislators,  they  sat 
as  the  Upper  House,  distinct  from  the 
Governor,  and  entered  protests  on  their 
journals,  after  the  manner  of  the  House 
of  Peers,  and  were  attended  by  their 
chaplain,  clerk,  &c. 

House  of  Assembly. 

The  Assembly  resembled  the  Lower 
House  of  Parliament  in  its  formation, 
inode  of  procedure,  and  power,  within 
its  jurisdiction,  as  far  as  the  different 
oiroumstances  of  the  country  permitted. 
The  freeholders  were  assembled  in  the 
several  counties  and  towns  entitled  to 
representation  by  the  King's  writ,  and 
their  suffrages  taken  by  the  Sheriff. 
The  members  thus  elected  were  required 
by  the  Governor  to  meet  at  Halifax, 
the  capital  of  the  Province,  at  a  certain 
day,  when  the  usual  oaths  being  admin- 
istered, and  a  Speaker  chosen  and  ap- 
proved, the  session  was  opened  by  a 
speech  from  the  person  admiaistering 
the  Government,  in  imitation  of  that 
usually  delivered  from  the  throne,  in 
which,  after  adverting  to  the  general 
state  of  the  Province,  he  called  their  at- 
tention to  such  local  subjects  as  seemed 
to  require  their  immediate  considera- 
tion. 

The  qualifications  for  a  vote  or  repre- 
sentation, were  either  a  yearly  income 
of  forty  shillings,  derived  from  real  es- 
,  tate  within  the  particular  county  or 
town,  for  which  the  election  was  held,  or 
a  title  in  fee-simple  of  a  dwelling-bouse, 
or  one  hundred  acres  of  land,  five  of 
which  must  be  under  cultivation.  It 
was  reouisite  that  the  title  be  registered 
six  months  before  the  test  of  the  writ, 
unless  it  were  by  descent  or  devise. 

The  Assembly  continaed  for  the  term 
of  seven  (now  four  years)  from  the  re- 
turn day  of  the  writs,  sublet  neverthe- 
less to  be  dissolved  in  the  mean  time  by 
the  Governor,  who  had  th«  power  of 
proroguing  the  Legislature,  and  ap- 
pointing the  time  and  place  of  its  ses- 
sion, with  this  constitutional  injunction, 
that  they  should  be  called  together  once 
at  least  every  year. 


Changes  which  have  taken  place  since  1837. 

An  address  to  the  Crown  from  the 
House  of  Assembly  in  the  year  1837, 
complaining  of  the  constitution  of  the 
then  existing  council,  of  its  irresponsi- 
bility to  the  people,  of  tho  manner  in 
which  its  Legislative  proceedings  were 
conducted,  and  of  practical  evils  sup- 
posed to  result  from  these  ca .  scs,  was 
soon  afterwards  followed  by  its  disor- 
ganization and  recon^ruction,  and  by 
the  separation  of  its  executive  from  its 
legislative  functions,  which  were  as- 
signed respectively  to  different  bodies, 
designated  as  "  The  Executive  Coun- 
cil," and  "  The  Legislative  Council." 
The  Chief  Justice  and  Judges  of  the  su- 
perior courts  were  excluded  from  seats 
in  either  of  the  new  Councils,  and  cer- 
tain instructions  were  given  to  the  Lieu- 
tenant-Governor, indicating;  the  princi- 
ples that  were  to  govern  iiim  in  provi- 
sional nominations  of  individuals  to  seats 
in  the  newly  constituted  bodies,  and 
suggesting,  particularly,  the  necessity 
of  a  representation,  aa  far  as  might  be 
practicable,  of  all  the  leading  classes  and 
interests,  especially  of  those  connected 
with  the  agricultural  districts,  as  also 
the  avoidance  of  a  preponderance  of  any 
religious  persuasions.  , 

An  organic  change  was  thus  made  in 
the  constitution  of  the  province  ;  and  al- 
though the  principle  contended  for  by 
the  Assembly,  that  it  ought  to  exercise  a 
control  over  the  officers  of  Government  and 
the  Executive  Council,  analogous  to  that 
which  t/i€  House  of  Comtnons  possessed 
over  the  Ministers  of  Slate,  was,  at  first, 
sternly  denied,  the  claim  was  reiterated 
in  subsequent  sessions,  experiencing  a 
gradually  decreasing  opposition,  until, 
at  a  very  recent  period,  it  seems  to  have 
been  conceded,  to  a  greater  extent,  per- 
haps, than  was  anticipated  by  those  with 
whom  it  originated. 

The  tenure  of  Colonial  Offices,  which, 
under  the  old  system,  was  nominally 
during  the  pleasure  of  the  Crown,  but, 
practically,  during  the  good  behavior  of 
the  incumbent,  was,  as  respects  most  of 
the  higher  offices,  except  judicial  and 
ministerial  ones,  declared,  by  the  dis- 
patch of  a  Colouial  Mioister,  not  to  be 


COLONIAL  GOVERNMENT. 


237 


wa  from  the 
le  year  1837, 
tutiou  of  the 
ts  irresponsi- 
10  manner  io 
ceedinga  were 
ical  evils  sup- 
ie  ca .  8C9,  was 
,  by  it8  disor- 
lotion,  and  by 
sutive  from  its 
lioh    were    as- 
fforent  bodies, 
Lccutive  Coun- 
■tive   Couuoil." 
iidges  of  tbo  BU- 
ded  from  seats 
anoils,  and  cer- 
?cn  to  the  Lieu- 
inf:  the  princi- 
1  aim  in  provi- 
iividuals  to  seats 
,od  bodies,  and 
,  the  necessity 
far  as  might  be 
ding  classes  and 
hose  connected 
istricts,  as  also 
inderance  of  any 

las  thus  made  in 
;ovince  ;  and  al- 
intended  for  by 
ight  to  exercise  a 
Government  and 
Jinalogous  to  that 
Imtnons   j)ossessed 
\cUe,  was,  at  first, 
.  was  reiterated 
experiencing  a 
Ippositiou,  until, 
it  seems  to  have 
Jiter  extent,  per- 
iod by  those  with 

al  Offices,  which, 
was  nominally 
[the  Crown,  but, 
iood  behavior  of 
Irespects  most  of 
Jpt  judicial  and 
jred,  by  the  dis. 

Inister.  not  to  be 


ejalvftlent  to  a  tenure  during  ^ood  con- 
duct, but  to  involve  the  necessity  of  re- 
tirement whenever  a  change  in  the  per- 
son of  the  Governor,  or  expediency  sug- 
gested by  motives  of  public  policy, 
should  be  thought  to  re(]|uire  it.  The 
newly-constituted  Executive  and  Legis- 
lative Councils  were,  in  some  measure, 
recast  from  the  materials  which  com- 
posed the  old  council,  and  some  of  those, 
who  had  been  members  of  the  latter, 
were  retained  with  seats  in  both  of  the 
former ;  others,  whom  it  was  deemed 
expedient  to  reappoint,  retiring,  by  de- 
sire of  the  Crown,  but  with  the  rank  at- 
tached to  the  station  which  they  bad 
relinquished. 

Soon  after  the  reconstruction  of  these 
bodies,  the  principle,  if  not  formally  an- 
nounced, was  at  least  generally  under- 
stood to  be  that,  wUh  the  single  exception 
of  the  late  Provincial  Secretary,  who  re- 
tained a  seat  in  the  new  Executive  Coun- 
cil toitlioiU  being  a  member  of  either  of  the 
Houses  of  Legislation,  a  seat  in  one  or  the 
other  of  the  latter  was  to  be  an  indispensa- 
Ue  condii  tin  to  the  privilege  of  sitting  in 
the  former,  though  a  community  of  sen- 
timent on  questions  of  public  policy  was 
not  deemed  necessary.     The  retirement, 
however,  from  the  Council  Board  of 
some  of  its  members,  during  the  admin- 
istration of  Lord  Falkland,  immediate- 
ly after  a  general  election,  induced  a 
struggle  in  the  House  of  Assembly,  be- 
tween those  who  had  retired  and  their 
Parliamentary  supporters,  on  the  one 
hand,  and   those  who  adhered  to  the 
Governor,  with  their  upholders  in  the 
House,  on  the  other.     As  the  constitu- 
ency, after  the  terminatiQU  of  that  Par- 
liament, returned  a  majority  favorable 
to  the  opposition,  a  piractical  result  was, 
the  relinquishment  of  all  the  seats  in 
the  Executive  Council  to  the  majority 
in  the  new  House,  and  the  transfer  of 
the  Crown  ofBices,  together  with  the  re- 
moval from  office  of  the  Pnrrinoial  Sec- 
retary, upon  bis  reaignation  of  his  seat 
as  an  Executive  Councillor. 

An  attempt  made  by  the  present 
Lieatenant-Governor,  soon  after  he  as- 
Bumed  the  government,  to  effect  an  ar- 
rangement between  the  leaders  of  the 


two  contending  parties,  with  a  view  to 
the  formation  of  a  Council  fhat  would 
give  the  country  the  benefit  of  the  abil- 
ity that  both  could  furnisli,  was  unsuc- 
cessful, but  the  failure  was  thought  to 
render  necessary  an  appeal  to  Downing 
Street,  whence  a  dispatch  soon  after- 
wards emanated  of  sumcient  importanoe 
to  exercise  a  considerable  influence  upon 
the  future  destinies  of  ttfe  colony. 

It  recommended  that  in  Nova  Scotia, 
as  in  England,  tenure  of  office  during 
good  behavior,  in  the  ordinarily  received 
meaning  of  the  phrase,  should  practical- 
ly be,  thenceforth,  the  general  rule  of 
the  public  service,  whilst  the  exertion 
should  consist  of  the  ease  of  a  limited 
number  of  the  higher  public  servants  who 
might  be  supposed  to  influt,-ue  and  direct 
the  policy  of  the  Government,  the  tenure 
of  place  by  whom  should  depend  upon 
their  commanding  a  Parliamentary  ma- 
jority, and  upon  their  holding  seats  in 
either  one  or  other  branch  of  the  Legis- 
lature. Scats  in  the  Executive  Coun- 
cil were  also  invested  with  a  political 
character,  which  was  to  be  imparted  to 
any  other  office  that  might  be  bold  con- 
currently therewith. 

Subject  to  these  modifications,  and 
with  certain  guards  and  restrictions 
which  the  dispatch  particularly  men- 
tioned, the  Colonial  Secretary  instruct- 
ed the  Lieutenant-Governor  that  tu>  ob- 
stacle existed,  in  his  opinion,  in  the  pecu- 
liar circumstances  of  Nova  Scotia,  to  the 
immediate  application  to  it  of  the  system 
of  Farliamentary  Government  that  pre- 
vailed in  England. 

Lord  Durham's  Commission. 

The  Legislative  Council,  which  pi-e- 
viously  consisted  of  twelve  members,  wai 
increased  to  fifteen,  and  the  number  of 
the  Executive  (to  which  all  judicial  aa- 
thority  was  transferred)  was  limited  to 
nine,  but  subsequent  despatches  have 
authorised  the  increase  of  the  latter, 
under  special  circumstances,  and  the 
forpe**  "ips  composed  of  twenty  at  the 
clot/  '•'«*  Mssion. 

y^  Kj^wrtmental  system  of 

Canai^Hriiou. ^.>>introdnoed  into  this 

country  has  been  twice  keenly  contMted 


M 

'■^m 


I 


V 


r'J 


^i 


rv  , 


288 


THE  OLD  JUDGE;    OR,  LIFE  IN  A  COLONT. 


between  the  Con8<>ryatiTes,  and  the  dif- 
ferent parties  who  at  present  act  together 
under  the  name  of  "Great  Liberals," 
and  has  been  alternately  rejected  and 
adopted.  The  Colonial  Secretary,  ac- 
tuated by  the  same  kindly  feeling  that 
has  always  influenced  his  predecessors, 
and  entertaining  the  same  sanguine 
hope  of  the  effeot-of  concession,  has,  to 
a  great  eztent^decided  the  question  in 
the  affirmative. 

What  the  position  of  the  Governor, 
in  relation  to  nil  Sovereign,  his  Council, 
and  the  local  Legislature  is,  has  been 
tolerably  well  settled  in  theory,  by  the 
assembly  having  formally  adopted  Lord 
Metcalfs  explanation  or  it ;  *  but  what 


*  And  whereat  hit  Excellency,  Sir  Charles 
Metcal^  haa  thua  explained,  in  an  anawer  to  an 
addreaa  from  Gore,  in  Canada,  hia  viewa  of  Re- 
aponaible  Oovemment— 

"  With  reference  to  your  views  of  Responaible 
Oovemment,  I  cannot  tell  you  how  far  I  concur 
in  them,  without  linowing  your  meaning,  which 
ia  not  diatinctly  stated. 

"  If  you  mean  that  the  Oovemor  ia  to  have  no 
ezerciae  of  his  own  judgment  in  the  administra- 
tion of  the  ffovemment,  and  ia  to  be  a  mere  tool 
In  the  hands  of  the  Council,  then  I  totally  diaa- 
gree  with  you.  That  ia  a  condition  to  which  I 
can  never  aubmit,  and  which  her  Mtyeaty's  Gov- 
itmment,  in  my  opinion,  never  can  aanction. 

"  If  you  mean  that  every  word  and  deed  of  the 
Oovemor  is  to  be  previously  aubmitted  for  the 
advice  of  the  Council,  then  you  propoae  what, 
besides  l>eing  unnecessary  and  uaeleas,  is  utterly 
impossible,  consistently  with  the  due  dispatch 
of  business. 

"  If  you  mean  that  *he  patronage  of  the  Crown 
la  to  be  surrendered  for  exclusive  party  purpoaes 
to  the  Council,  instead  of  being  distributed  to 
reward  merit,  to  meet  just  claims,  and  to  promote 
the  efficiency  of  the  public  aervice,  then  we  are 
again  at  issue.  Such  a  surrender  of  the  preroga- 
tive of  the  Crown  is,  in  my  opinion,  incompatlDie 
with  the  existence  of  a  British  colony. 

"  If  you  mean  that  the  Oovemor  is  an  irrespon- 
sible officer,  who  can,  without  responsibility, 
adopt  the  advice  of  the  Council,  then  you  are,  I 
conceive,  entirely  in  error.  The  undisputed  func- 
tions of  the  Oovemor  are  such,  that  he  is  not 
only  one  of  the  hardest  worked  servants  of  the 
colony,  but  also  has  more  responsibilities  than 
any  other  in  it.  He  is  responsible  to  the  Crown 
and  Parliament,  and  the  people  of  the  Mother 
Country,  for  everv  act  that  ne  performa  or  Buffers 
to  be  done,  whether  it  originates  with  himself, 
or  la  adopted  on  the  advice  of  other"  T'  mM 
not  divest  himself  of  that  res^  ■  *       n* 

ing  the  advice  of  the  Coih>     ,vi  t  tti^ff,  ftuu^ttn- 
ally  responsible  to  the  ^  Jnwpr  of 'f'** 

practically  more  so         j^      P      j         roun- 
try:  every  day  pr  •$Nire,    and    apu 


make  it  other* 
"Butit'n.       .,.. 


can 

.  laning  any  of  tiie  above 
joa  mean  that  the  Gk>v- 


* 


r*w»> 


it  is  practically,  will  always  bo  a  matter 
of  great  doubt,  as  much  will  depend  on 
the  ability,  integrity,  and  firmness  of 
the  man,  and  not  a  little  on  circum- 
stances. That  he  will  be  occasionally 
embarrassed  there  can  be  no  doubt,  fov 
an  imperium  in  imperio  is  a  difficult  and 
complicated  thing ;  but  it  will  doubtlesi 
be  a  great  gratification  to  the  Parent 
State  to  find  that,  whatever  little  dis- 
sensions may  hereafter  arise,  they  can 
never  be  as  in  bygone  days  between  the 
local  branches  of  the  Legislature,  but 
between  those  bodies  and  herself;  and 
what  difficulties  are  there  that  conces- 
sion will  not  remove  ?  Other  and  minor 
alterations  were  also  made,  the  detaih 
of  which  it  is  not  necessary  to  trouble 
you  with.  ' 

In  this  manner  was  introduced  what 
is  called  "  Besponsible  Government,"  a 
term  which  those  who  first  used  it 
have  been  most  careful  not  to  define. 
Alarmed  at  the  consequences  to  which 
it  might  possibly  lead,  if  fully  carried 


erament  should  be  administered  according  to  the 
well-understood  wishes  and  interests  of  the  peo* 

&le,  that  the  resolutions  of  September  1841  should 
e  faithfully  adhered  to,  that  it  should  be  compe- 
tent to  the  Council  to  oiter  advice  on  all  occa- 
aions,  whether  as  to  patronage  or  otherwise,  am' 
that  the  Oovemor  should  receive  it  with  the  a* 
tention  due  to  his  constitutional  advisers,  an' 
consult  with  them  on  all  cases  of  adequate  iro 
portance  that  there  should  be  a  cordial  co-opera 
tion  and  sympathy  between  him  and  them,  ant 
that  the  Council  should  be  responsible  to  th* 
Provincial  Parliament  and  people  t  and  that  when 
the  acta  of  the  Oovemor  are  such  as  thev  do  not 
choose  to  be  responsible  for,  they  should  be  at 
liberty  to  resign,  then,  I  entirely  agree  with  you, 
and  aee  no  impracticability  in  carrying  on  Respon- 
sible Government  in  a  colony  on  that  foutinf, 
provided  that  the  respective  parties  engaged  ui 
the  undertaking  be  guided  by  moderation,  honest 
purpose,  common  saoae,  and  equitable  minds, 
devoid  of  party  spirit. 

"  Therefore,  reaolved,  That  thia  Houpe  recog- 
nlze  in  the  above  doconvants  the  true  principles 
of  Colonial  Government,  aa  applicable  to  thiK 
province." 

This  Resolution,  of  which  the  above  is  an^- 
tract,  is  one  of  the  moat  extrH^  "n.  -  ;fneh 
ever  entered  upon  journals  of  a  le^/"^  v  -  „ 
It  consists  of  the  adoption,  veT^xUim,  of  four  reso- 
'  lutlons  of  the  Canadian  Legislature,  of  long  ex- 
tracts from  newspaper  reports  of  the  speeches  of 
two  of  the  members  of  their  own  body,  and  the 
anawer  of  the  late  Lord  Metcalf  to  an  address 
that  had  been  presented  to  him  by  the  people  of 
the  Gore  diairict,  without  one  word  of  their  own 
on  the  subject.  It  may  l>e  found  on  the  67th 
page  of  the  Journals  of  the  Assembly  for  1844. 


always  bo  a  mattet 
loh  will  depend  on 
r,  and  firmness  of 
I  little  on  oircum- 
rill  be  occasionally 
%n  be  no  doabt,  fov 
no  is  a  difficult  and 
bat  it  will  doubtlesi 
iion  to  the  Parent 
nrhatevcr  little  dis- 
ifter  arise,  they  oan 
ne  days  between  the 
ihe  Legislature,  but 
!B  and  herself;  and 
there  that  conoes- 
)  ?    Other  and  minor 
io  made,  the  detaih 
necessary  to  trouble 

was  introduced  what 
ible  Goverument,"  a 
who  first  used  it 
treful  not  to  define, 
jnsequenccs  to  which 
lead,  if  fully  carried 


linistered  according  to  the 
1  and  Interests  of  the  pec- 
of  September  1841  should 
,  that  it  should  be  compe- 
offer  advice  on  all  occa- 
tronage  or  otherwise,  am' 
lid  receive  it  with  the  a« 
nititutional  advisers,  an^ 
all  cases  of  adequate  im 
uid  be  a  cordial  co-opera 
ween  him  and  them,  am 
Id  be  responsible  to  th* 
ind  people ;  and  that  when 
ir  are  such  as  they  do  not 
lie  for,  they  should  be  at 
I  entirely  agree  with  you, 
ity  In  carrying  on  Respon- 
a  colony  on  that  footing, 
Bctive  parties  (engaged  in 
led  by  moderation,  honest 
H,  and  equitable  minds, 

,  That  this  HouM  recog- 
rvBnta  the  true  principles 
nt,  M  applicable  to  thii> 

fvhich  the  above  is  an  m- 
ost  extraii  "n.  -  ;j'W» 
lalsof  a  le^i"^*  v 
Ion,  verbatim,  of  four  reso- 

Legislature,  of  long  ex- 
reports  of  the  speeches  of 
their  own  body,  and  the 
Metcalf  to  an  address 

to  him  by  the  people  of 
[ut  one  word  of  thdr  own 
y  be  found  on  the  67th 

the  Assembly  for  1644. 


COLONIAL  OOVBRNMBNT. 


rat,  or  UQcertain  u  to  its  Yn'^tieal 
eftot,  they  have  left  it  to  its  own  ope- 
ntion,  in  the  hope  that  ezperienoe 
might  improTe,  or  yigilaooe  regvltte, 
ke  motion.  Ooloniiti,  who  are  the  rab- 
;  jeeta  of  the  experiment,  are  not  agreed 
I  among  themielTei  as  to  ita  import; 
■ome  inppoiing  that  it  meana  the  trans- 
fer of  the  whole  power  of  the  Goremor, 
who  is  yirtoally  supersede^  to  his  Ooon- 
dl ;  others,  that  it  is  the  snbetitation  of 
party  for  moral  responsibility,  while  not 
a  flsw  take  the  most  extreme  views,  eon* 
sidering  it,  on  the  one  hand,  u  a  pana- 
,  oea  for  erery  eyil,  and,  on  the  other,  as 
fhiuffht  with  destmotion  to  all  that  is 
goo<^  and  lovd,  and  respectable  in  the 
oonntry.  If  properly  oontroUed.  limit- 
ed, ana  directed  by  the  anthorities  at 
hoa^  it  is  to  be  hoped  it  may  be  ren- 
dered, if  not  beneficial,  at  least  innocu- 
om,  allayinff  the  fears  of  the  well  af- 
feoled,  and  disappointing  the  hopes  of 
those  who,  haying  nothing  to  lose,  are 
alyays  the  advooates  of  change.  By 
eomparing  these  modifications  of  thie 
marainery  of  the  Ezecntiye  and  Lej^s- 
l^Te  bodies  with  their  eondition  in 


'■«i;.. 


1887,  and  oareftally  perusing  the 

lotion  of  the  Assembly  expressing  their 
view  of  administration,  and  the  dis- 
patches of  the  Colonial  Minister,  to 
which  I  haye  reference,  yon  wUl,  I 
hope,  be  able  to  understand  what  IIm 
constitution  of  this  colony  was,  what  il 
is  now,  and  how,  when,  and  nj  whoni 
these  changes  were  ^ected. 

Upon  the  questions  which  haye  agi> 
tatea  the  pubuc  mind  so  neatly,  nam»' 
ly,  whether  the  Oolonial  Minister  oonld 
legally  make  those  organic  changes 
without  the  saibction  of  the  local  or  m* 
portal  Parliament,  whether  they  art 
condnciye  to  the  happiness  of  the  peo* 
pie,  and  suited  to  their  condition,  or 
compatible  with  oolonial  dependence, 
and  others  of  a  like  nature,  I  abstain 
from  making  any  comment  My  object 
is  to  giye  those  facts,  but  not  to  arguo 
on  them.  I  only  hope  I  haye  rendered 
myself  intelligible ;  but  the  truth  is,  I 
take  no  interest  in  our  little  provindal 
politics,  and  therefore  am  not  so  mwA 
at  home  on  the  subject  of  these  consti- 
tntional  ehanses  aa  Barclay  is,  who  it 
in  the  way  of  hearing  more  about  them 


M.' 


■JAI 


•A   ..  ,■ 


k 


•.;il?^.,"'        ji-* 


^'    J^v 


^;*' 


, ■  •        '•■  v  *■     ■   . 
\<.  -.■       ■,  V   .  ■'■■■. 


i:. 


»»1 


■"  ,■■■•     %  •:$ 

DICK  &  nTZOB&ALD'S  OATALOOtTS. 

:-tS<^  ^ : ^ .        ^^^ 

THE  EA]!n)  Aim  FOOEET  LIHBillY. 

liritli  borttbU  tiid  ehMB  aditioiui  of  work!  wUoh,  whU*  th^duOl  M^pnlar  ia  thtf*  dia^^ 
■h»UM  of  luch  •  itaaoatd  Mi  with  Uudr  atyl*  of  •xaentiMii  alwU  mMwHum  worthy  af  nr»- 
Mcntion  and  bindiac.  '•- 

^^B  Hakd  AND  Poaxw  LiBKAmT  is  alM  ipMiaUv  ialmded  to  bmH  iha  w»Bti  of  taMTtl- 
«H,>y  sup^ljing  thfA  with  good  books  ia  jimmai  mMmis,  mitablo  for  o«»^-door  nadiac, 
hf  wir  t7P«i  aixAt  aad  ehsTsetor. 

Xiwili  Da  saaa  thAt  the  fona  of  Taa  Bams  ahp  Vaesn  XttUAar  fau  ham  snnastad  by 
TAVaiwin'sOoLLBcTioii  or  Bbruh  ▲xnaoas;  btttwhila  tlM'jMenUoaitf  na  HAMS  AKi>  ' 

,  f|[^ferIaBBABTkqaitaa4iiBltothatarthaTA«a^rii«0*uai«noM«iUpiaBisbrithalfthat 

•>«hiahthahkttMi«aow  sold  ia  this  oonattx.      Jy       .    : 
,.  |Biaiitt,«haTWieat  volmna  And  snunnfc  tUff*  h»  1Mtowad.Bt  eonTaniaat  tatorrBte  by 

oMuiM'4f  MA  charaotac  a%  it  ishopad,  Wllum  to  Taa  Hamb  ABB  FocKBT  IdBBA 

Ing  with' V»<teirfln|r)^^*  *^*  ^  mtiat'm  Ipoia  •  c<**n>>*M  ft  the  aaesUMoa  aad  aa-  .  v 

tortidaiaff  aktmfbimik  tnA  toIobm.  '  .      .      '      ■* 

Xhe  Wanl^i?    '  A  NoT«l.    Bj  Axetaoxr  Tuohuon.    mmm, »• 

This  is  the  fliii  2itt.o^  TBa  Habb  abb  Poexar  Libbabt,  and  will  ha  toUnrad  tar 
a4herfa«t-eUu»ai  tAiT^'^  -r  ,,  .-)s         , 

M  All  paqpla  who  JayiMflMTniaLyartaB'-wd  tf  aaybody  has  aot  read '  Thayaidw,' 
M  ms  ooussel  fhsm  toiSMttaiMlloat  tiM  aa  aoaii  m  nay  ba-wiU'loMMr  ^*y  ii3l 
lAat  ia  maaat  by  tha  Daa|«|at^ai|iaad^y  Tom  TowSb."— Aitiirday  AMm*.  r^"     *       f    . 

Mrs.  ELLEN  W0b^S  Celebrated  Ifo^ds. 

v^.   r      Hal*  L^nn;  or,  2%#  ifarr*  Z>aiMUtr.    z«>s*<>c!i«r»'.  »•»«. ...••<  i 

iE.gi^^v  "ThisU  aialaof  niaarkablapower.    Itd0i%itoiteo£dto«HyMwidadrani^  '^ 

ao^itfataaeas which  haaaaldom  been  surpaWaa.  "tlatmteraetof tbeBarratiyaiatenmM....  •;  .. 
;.  ( .^  uc.'<V)>       itoeu  to  tha  deepest  pathoa.   Tha  cloriag  soaha  is  iil'mahlfkest'doBcae  tnum^aadtha '.^    . '       . 
whole  Btory  axhxbits  uaqaaationable  genius  aad  oiigiaality."— J«iiriwsjpig>fD»»iM. .  ^' 

"o-"Ai*iastle  Wafer;  or,  The  Flair  Gdd  Ring.     By  tlie  author  6l  ^ 

i,.ie«tT<''<       "XastliTnn;  or.  the  Sari's  i)aiighter."    Laiga  Octavo, ^.J,....','     |M|,       \ 

'        HQofnllofiaoidei^  so  exoitiiiig  ia  arary  page,  so  adininbly  written,  that  onahsMlf  ,'.»'      '       Li 
^yV        ;.  T  lauwihowtogotobadwitboiUMUitigihalaffpaga.''  >  V    '^ 

?  v..        -Xhe  Hur  to  Ashley.    Brtiie  author  of  ^'East  Lynn;  dr.  Thai;' '    ,t 

Earl's OaoiOtter.    lAreeOotare, .  HJl': 

^.(ai"Thisis  omavftha  best  noTela  pnbUshsdiarasaaaoB.    The  plot  ia  intatatting,  iatri-       ^^,. 
iMe,  and  well  ofinied  out ;  tha  ehanustcii  aia  life-like,  and  the  writing  simple  aadaaitaial* 
.  rt  ~  .<:     ftere  is nothiair  forced,  aothing  di^oiatad  or  nwtlnlshwd  abopt  it;  no  dtforepaiiMto  |a      '■,'■ 

^^t>~--.«v*>%; ., ,  tfiititory."  '     ^      .(...?,'.» 

^        llifikiii^'aae  Cldltonel ;  or,  ThsBia  Orey  Poutders.  .     ^  the  autbnr  a*  •    » 

4-  af;M.aMt  &yB»i  or,  Tha  BHV||>aii|htsr."   I«(gaOetaTa, , <.    w.-lk**.'     I 

I    ^^^   ■   ]^^  BY  SAMUEL  LOVEB#  ^   ^^^^^'-^ 

Aory  O'More.    ABomanoe.    TUs  work  is  iUnstntted,  and  iqQii-'V  .,'^.,'. 

>-*^::  taias  380  oetaTO  pages, ...*>. am 

'^.  All  are  familiar  wiw  the  ftui  haaor,  aad  wit,  which  are  to  be  foand'ia  aVery  liaa  of   -  ''KT'  ' 

this  national  romaaea.  , .'    .. 

1  Handy  Andy.    ANorel, .>. ..;#•; 

t  >j<  '^  Handy  Aady  apsaka  for  Itself  to  tha  haarta  of  all  gay,  lolly,  and  nlrthrloTihg-folks.  It ' 

-¥':*   .f^w        vill,  we  haTona  doubt,  be  a  fovotito  with  tha  public.  „, 

iLegends  and  Stories  of  Ireland;  or,  Th«  Ad«9»ntures  of 

RddjMuUownew, ^ .....^.n..... ,..,       4» 

Mr.  LsYor  has  here  produoad  hia  beat  work  of  flotioni^iriiiish  idU  kitfn**  «]Ma  half  tha 
Irish  skotohes  with  tOchtlMUtstaiy  w«ld  teams  araSn|«|tttn.     .         'i^--  r 

Barney  O'Bierdon;  or,  Th$  Advmturos,^  ^  5««^3f  %8p^      ^  v>* 

ft,jt'<'  man, i...^ A,..*iiii*'..      gp 

t.'  ITo  |ie?il  hardly  lay  that  this  aatartatning  an*»»iry  hiwasi  ig»  work  is  fnw»  thii^aisa  i  — .  -  ■^'•■■-' 

.,,„„.:,  tUe  pen  of  flamuel  IiOTer,  Itaq.,  wbdaa  ezpmNiflMjB-W'   ■'  --'^         .,     „  .  ..<4?^  .. 

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